Ministry of Agriculture of Bashkortostan: Embargo is an extra incentive for republican milk producers

Russia’s introduction of embargo on imported products is an extra incentive for efficient operation of republican producers and processors of milk. This opinion was expressed by the Minister of Agriculture of Bashkortostan Republic Nikolai Kovalenko during the round table conference on import substitution, which was held today at Bashinform News Agency.

“Major investment projects in the field of dairy farming are implemented in Bashkortostan. This situation gives investors an additional motivation for their early completion,” Nikolai Kovalenko underlined.

Among the major projects the Minister named a construction of two dairy complexes. The Russian agricultural holding "Damate" will begin erection of one of them with capacity of 50 thousand tons of milk per year in Buzdyak region this year. The company "Asdor" is finalizing a design preparation of another complex in Ishimbay region. Its capacity is 48 thousand tons of milk per year.

Nikolay Kovalenko also focused on the results of the «500 farms» republican program. Today 178 farms are its participants, and by the end of the year their number may increase to 230. In less than three years, 103 dairy farms have already completed modernization, which increased milk production by 8 percent, and productivity of cows - by 9 percent. Positive trends are observed and in quality of products. So, agricultural enterprises received on average about 9 percent of milk of the highest grade before modernization. Today this figure is 46 percent.

Bashkortostan ranks first in Russia in number of cattle (1.3 million heads) and the second - on gross milk yield (1.7 million tons). The annual processing volume in the republic is 72.3 million tons, and exports - 162.3 thousand tons. The population of the republic consumes 1.2 million tons of milk.