Lukashenka to save on agriculture :: Charter'97 :: News

Alyaksandr Lukashenka ordered to reduce the state subsidies for prosperous agricultural producers by 50%.”The agricultural enterprises which we helped to rise of their knees by rendering the government support are to start earning themselves. All the subsidies to them are to be reduced by 50%”, declared Alyaksandr Lukashenka when visiting the agricultural manufacture “Hervyati”in the Hrodna region.

As Lukashenka was informed by the accompanying person, the deputy head of the presidential administration, Alyaksandr Papkou today a quarter of agricultural enterprises in Belarus are quite prosperous and able to afford the subsidies reduction.

Alyaksandr Lukashenka specially stressed that” in a year, i.e. since 2009 a successful enterprise is not to be provided with any state subsidies”.

“Next year the saved funds are to be directed only at implementation of the program of the countryside revival”, the head of the state remarked.

As far as the backward agricultural enterprises are concerned Lukashenka assumes that their liquidation is quite feasible.”Let them die! For thirteen years we have been carrying them on our shoulders. That’s enough”, the president declared.

He instructed the government” to provide strict control over the issues concerning state subsidies granting”.

“I have been warning you of late that the acute demand of the agricultural products, meat, and milk is going to arise. This time has come. Today a ton of wheat costs USD 150. Ukraine, Russia and Europe are short of agricultural products. Only produce and sell! What subsidies do you mean?!” Lukashenka said.

“One way or another but the program of the countryside revival ought to be implemented”, he remarked. Lukashenka also mentioned that year Belarus was to gather 7 million ton grain and 500 ton corn. He stressed the demand of doubling the corn yield the next year”.