Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 3 April (BelTA) – Agricultural production is business, not a social project, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said at the nationwide seminar held on 3 April to discuss rural development and ways to enhance the efficiency of the country’s agrarian sector, BelTA has learned.

The president described the low efficiency of the industry as one of the main problems. “Frankly speaking, we are still underworking in the financial rehabilitation of our agricultural organizations. The number of loss-making companies is reduced at a very slow pace,” the head of state said.

The decree on measures to increase the efficiency of the social and economic complex of Belarus, signed two years ago, set forth a task for the governors to take under their direct control all the loss-making enterprises and ensure their effective operation. “During my trips to the regions some 3-4 farms were revealed as subject to such control from the oblast executive committee. I will expect reports on the performance of these farms at the end of the year,” Alexander Lukashenko said.

The president instructed the governors and the Agriculture and Food Ministry to ensure the implementation of the decisions taken to rehabilitate economically insolvent farms, and the agro-industrial complex in general.

“The growth in the agrarian sector should be mainly based on the efficient use of natural, material, financial and labor resources. The results will be the main criterion to assess the country’s agrarian performance,” the head of state said.