Press releases

PORUMBENI, 19 April (BelTA) – Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and Moldova President Igor Dodon visited the Porumbeni Horticulture Institute on 19 April where they took part in the Field Day ceremony which begins the spring sowing campaign, BelTA informs.

The presidents visited the exposition of modern Belarusian farm equipment, discussed the development of cooperation in crop farming with the director of the institute, and then planted corn on a field.

Igor Dodon expressed confidence that the harvest will be good. He promised to inform the Belarusian side about how it is growing and to send the corn to Belarus in autumn. He thanked the Belarusian side for the gratuitous delivery of Belarusian tractors to Moldova. “Belarusian tractors are used in every Moldovan village. They are very reliable, our people are used to them. These tractors sell well,” the Moldovan leader remarked.

Alexander Lukashenko, in turn, stressed that Belarus and Moldova will develop cooperation in the production of corn seeds and other plants. “We see new avenues for cooperation, particularly, between Belarusian and Moldovan scientific centers. It is very good,” the president said. In his words, the Belarusian side will continue to deliver farm equipment to Moldova and develop joint production with this country.

“We should not concentrate on trade operations only. It is essential to improve relations, set up joint ventures, and do even more. The president and I have agreed on the training of personnel for the manufacture of tractor, automobile, grain harvesting equipment in Moldova,” the Belarusian head of state added.

In an interview with BelTA Moldova President Igor Dodon said that the idea to plant corn together with the Belarusian head of state emerged during one of the meetings last year. “For me it was unexpected. I know that Alexander Grigoriyevich [Lukashenko] often does some farm work on a tractor. I studied agrarian science at the university, my first major was agricultural economy, I was born in a village, therefore, I know how to drive a tractor. I have not done it for five or six years, so I needed some training,” Igor Dodon said.

The Porumbeni Horticulture Institute specializes in corn breeding, production of elite and super elite seeds, improvement of corn and tobacco growing technologies.

The NASB Institute of Arable Farming, the Polesye Institute of Arable Farming and the Porumbeni Horticulture Institute cooperate in corn breeding. A joint program for the production of corn hybrids has been developed.