News - Government support in the Astrakhan region will increase in 2019 by 20%

Government support in the Astrakhan region will increase in 2019 by 20%

The authorities of Astrakhan region expect to send about 900 million rubles in support of agricultural producers in the region in 2019. This is about 20% more than a year earlier, the acting press conference said on Monday at a press conference. Regional Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Alexey Galkin.

"I think that in the region of 900 million rubles will be directed to support the agro-industrial complex of the Astrakhan region. In general, an increase of about 20% compared with 2018," said Galkin.

According to him, state support funds will be directed to the most important areas for the region, including land reclamation, seed production, development of family farms and aquaculture. Support for livestock, sheep and novice farmers will also continue.

Galkin also noted that this year Astrakhan farmers have good performance - over 2 million tons of vegetables and melon products and potatoes were harvested (1.7 million tons in 2017). This was achieved by increasing by 17% the acreage and reclamation work, thanks to which more than 6.5 thousand hectares of previously unused land were put into circulation.

Agriculture is a strategic sector for the Astrakhan region, in the region there are about 150 agricultural enterprises, about 3 thousand farms. The region completely provides itself with lamb and beef, supplies meat to the regions of the Russian Federation and abroad. Last year, Astrakhan farmers harvested 1.7 million tons of vegetables and melons and potatoes, of which about 70% of the products were sent outside the region.