The period of “big kumis” begins in Bashkiria

“The period of “big Kumis” begins in Bashkortostan” – the first deputy Minister for agriculture RB Azat Ziganshin stated – “We have to organize processing and wide sales of horse milk (kumis)”.

The conference with representatives of local farms, busy with making kumis, scientific and medical circles, has taken place in the Ministry for agriculture RB.

According to M-r Ziganshin there are 53 thousand dairy mares in Bashkortostan for today. Every mare gives 600 liters of horse milk every year on average. At the same time the Republic produces just three thousand tons of kumis. Though Bashkortostan is considered the indisputable leader in horse milk production, the potential of the region in this sphere is used just by 10%. For example, 50 years ago kumis was present in menus of all Republican sanatoriums and health centers and every state farm had its own stables with dairy mares.

At present time the situation in this sphere leaves much to be desired and in order to support horse breeders and improve the present situation with production of kumis the Ministry for agriculture RB launched special program. Now horse breeders will receive subsidies for every liter of horse milk and not just agricultural enterprises but private farmers too.