Opinions & Interviews

Agribusiness revival in Belarus described as nationwide effort

An archive photo

PRUZHANY DISTRICT, 19 August (BelTA) – Belarusian agriculture has been created thanks to efforts of the entire nation. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement as he talked to workers of the agricultural enterprise Zhuravlinoye and residents of Pruzhany District, BelTA has learned.

Aleksandr Lukashenko reminded that back in the day he initiated a countryside revival program. The establishment of major agricultural enterprises began then. The former deputy prime minister Aleksandr Popkov and the former head of the central bank Piotr Prokopovich oversaw the launch of this campaign. The powerful agricultural complex Aleksandriyskoye was created in Mogilev Oblast while the agricultural complex Zhuravlinoye was established in Brest Oblast back then.

Aleksandr Lukashenko went on saying: “Back then we decided that these enterprises should not be private farms. Private farmers were free to get things going on their own and enjoy state support. But we did not have to destroy state collective farms. Today we understand that we didn’t make an error back then when we created amalgamated agricultural enterprises.”

The president explained the government could not hand out lands only to private farmers since there are not many skilled agrarians, who can pull it off even now. “If back then we had split our large agricultural enterprises into small ones, we would have died today, we would have starved now. Not because private farmers are bad but because there were none of them. And they are still few and far between,” he noted.

The establishment of new enterprises required a lot of money and unconventional measures but it produced results.

“We launched these projects thanks to efforts of the entire Belarusian nation. Yes, it was difficult but our Belarusians persevered. Well done! Only thanks to patience of Belarusians and our persistence. Today we see that thank god we did that. Otherwise we would have nothing to feed our nation with and nothing to export – we get $7 billion in hard currency,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stated. “So agriculture did well. There was the first five-year plan and the second one. Today we are working according to the third five-year plan. It is already less noticeable because we don’t have to strain ourselves. We have to work calmly. The main directions have been determined.”

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