Business news

MINSK, 13 December (BelTA) – It is necessary to increase labor productivity in Belarusian agribusiness. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko made the relevant statement in his speech during the second congress of Belarusian scientists on 13 December, BelTA has learned.

Alexander Lukashenko remarked that a number of internal problems of economic and social nature continue to plague Belarusian agribusiness. The president believes the problems should be resolved through reliance on science. First of all, it is necessary to increase labor productivity, which remains twice as low as that in the European Union. A higher competitive ability of Belarusian products will be secured that way.

Alexander Lukashenko stressed that higher agricultural output and food consumption figures had been reached in Belarus. About 35% of Belarusian agricultural output is exported. Yet new challenges and threats emerge, domestic and foreign ones alike. The global food market is expected to continue experiencing a lack of resources in the long run and the competition environment will remain unstable. “Competition will only be tougher tomorrow. Not only due to economic factors but also political ones, which are difficult to predict. I’d say primarily political factors. The world population grows larger. Food consumption grows considerably higher. Yet competition is strong and international food sales are blocked. The continuous ‘scuffle’ between the closest nations and countries — Russia and Belarus — is a case in point. Let alone other countries,” said the president.

According to the head of state, the observation of manufacturing technologies and scientific recommendations should be the main criterion to judge the performance of executive personnel not only in Belarusian agribusiness but everywhere. “The human resources policy should seek executives with innovative thinking, the ability to comprehend new knowledge and put it to use,” stated Alexander Lukashenko.

The president instructed scientists to work out a set of measures to increase the cost effectiveness of agricultural enterprises, which is for now insufficient for reproduction on a progressively increasing scale even considering state support. The Agriculture and Food Ministry and the oblast governors will be the ones to implement the measures.

Alexander Lukashenko also mentioned the persistently high share of loss-making enterprises, the shortage of proprietary floating assets, and growing financial commitments of Belarusian agricultural companies.

“At present agrarian science should constantly search for internal low-cost mechanisms to increase the effectiveness of agricultural production. We need original ideas, effective approaches to the resolution of existing problems. We need brand new products, which will give a competitive edge to our agriculture,” said Alexander Lukashenko.