How are things with potatoes in Belarus? The number one vegetable is today at the center of Lukashenko's attention.
The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, is making a working trip to the Mogilev region on August 28. The head of state is visiting OAO "Rassvet named after K.P. Orlovsky" in the Kirov district, reports a BELTA correspondent.
The discussion will focus on how potato farming is developing in the country - from the selection of domestic varieties to the production of chips and starch. The President will also be briefed on the organization of field work not only in the farms of the Mogilev region and Kirov district but throughout Belarus.
During the trip, Alexander Lukashenko plans to visit a potato field in the "Rassvet named after K.P. Orlovsky" farm. The focus of the head of state is on the progress of potato harvesting, the technology of its processing and storage, and the overall development of potato farming in the country.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the annual production of potatoes in the public sector allows meeting domestic needs and having free resources for export. However, this year the demand for Belarusian potatoes in other countries was so high that there were problems with their availability on the shelves of domestic stores. The head of state had to intervene in the situation. Alexander Lukashenko noted on May 8 of this year that in Russia, prices for the same potatoes turned out to be several times higher than in Belarus. Therefore, producers were oriented towards the Russian market.
"Recently, I was told in the government: 'Alexander Grigoryevich, don't worry: we have a couple of tens of thousands of tons of seed potatoes - we will sell them.' I said: 'Guys, I am a historian. Remember, during the Great Patriotic War, people were dying of hunger in Leningrad, while they saved the seeds to have bread later. And do you think that in Russia and other countries where there is a potato shortage today, they will exhaust this shortage tomorrow? No. It will last for several more years. We have seed potatoes. Let's endure for another month (who doesn't like potatoes?), and then we will plant this. We will get ten times more than we planted, and then sell it at a good price.' So, this is a cunning, perhaps peasant's plan," the head of state noted.
"If someone is worried about potatoes - we will endure for a month. But we will not be without potatoes," emphasized Alexander Lukashenko.
According to him, the State Control Committee has been instructed to investigate the situation in all retail chains and see what products are lacking.
"And then I will call the governors and ask: guys, I warned you in the fall that we need to create stabilization funds. That is, to stock up to feed people. And what is this? Potatoes first of all. Apples and others. Where is it? Of course, farmers need to get money. If they do not sell potatoes (for export. - Ed. BELTA) and do not receive foreign currency, then we will have to support them from the budget. I would not want that. We have not wealthy teachers, doctors, and pensioners. This is a lesson for us too. I think this will be the last such lesson for the entire vertical of power. We need to bring storage facilities in order, to stock up on as much of the best potatoes in the world as necessary, so that our people never suffer from this misfortune," the President emphasized.