Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov told about the measures taken to increase agricultural production during the Government session, primeminister.kz reports.
Head of State has set a task to increase the volume of gross agricultural output by 2 times in 5 years.
This year, within the framework of the Plan of priority actions to ensure economic growth, we must ensure growth in the industry at the level of 11.6% to last year. In general, for 6 months of this year, the volume of gross agricultural output increased by 3.4% and amounted to 1.6 trillion tenge," the Minister said.
At the same time, the index of physical volume of gross livestock production amounted to 103.5%, IFO crop production 103%. Achievement of the planned index at the level of 11.6%, according to the minister, will be provided in the second half of this year after the completion of harvesting operations. This year the total sown area amounted to 23.8 million hectares. In accordance with the instruction of the Head of State, the plans for diversification of sown areas for the current year have been achieved in the republic as a whole.
The area of wheat has been reduced by 450 thousand hectares, at the same time the area of oilseeds has been increased by 608 thousand hectares, sugar beet - by 9.4 thousand hectares. The area of water-intensive crops was reduced: rice by 6.9 thousand hectares, cotton by 16 thousand hectares. Qualitative preparation for sowing under favorable weather conditions of summer allows to count on a good harvest. The government has solved all the issues of financial and logistical support of the sowing campaign.
For the first time, the volume of preferential lending for spring field work has reached 580 billion tenge at ‘pure’ 5% per annum. In previous years this volume did not exceed 180 billion tenge," Aidarbek Saparov said.
To date, 406 billion tenge has been utilized, regional akimats need to utilize the remaining 174 billion tenge in the near future. The channels for providing preferential financing to agricultural producers through the Agrarian Credit Corporation at the expense of funding of SPK have been expanded. Active work on their involvement is carried out only by 5 regions, which provided 65 billion tenge. These are North Kazakhstan - 20 billion tenge, Kostanay - 20 billion tenge, Pavlodar - 10 billion tenge, East Kazakhstan - 10 billion tenge, Kyzylorda - 5 billion tenge. The rest of the regions, according to the Minister, are reluctant to consider this issue, or refuse to implement the initiative of the Government.
Regarding fertilizers: this year a lot of work has been done in this direction. Thus, if last year 679 thousand tons were applied for the whole year, then only at the moment 1.1 million tons of fertilizers have already been purchased. The plan is 1.5 million tons.
Agrarians were provided with the necessary amount of seeds - 2.4 million tons. The share of elite seeds has increased from 7.1% to 9% this year. Allocated 376 thousand tons of discounted diesel fuel at a price of 250 tenge/liter, which is 15% lower than the market price.
In order to reduce corruption risks, a lot of work has been done to improve the subsidy system. Introduced a mechanism of direct subsidization of interest rates of financial institutions at "pure" 5% per annum," the Minister of Agriculture said.
According to him, the program of preferential leasing of domestically produced agricultural machinery has also been launched at "pure" 5% per annum. The Ministry of Agriculture has adopted a plan of action for its launch, the consideration of applications from farmers is in full swing.
As part of the implementation of the Head of State's instruction, a mechanism of advance subsidies for domestic fertilizers has been introduced. The rate of subsidies under this mechanism has been increased from 50% to 60%. To stimulate the introduction of water-saving technologies, investment subsidies were increased from 50% to 80% at the expense of local budgets. In order to solve the shortage of collateral for crediting field works, portfolio guarantee of 85% of the loan agreement amount was introduced.
The experience of North Kazakhstan region in implementing large industrial investment projects through social and entrepreneurial corporations continues to be replicated. From 2024 under the program along with financing of diary farms, irrigation, vegetable storages and poultry farms, 8 more directions will be financed.
Under the project ‘Auyl Amanaty’ it is planned to issue about 17 thousand microcredits. In 2024, 100 billion tenge is envisaged, this month financed 5 areas for 5 billion tenge. Allocation of the remaining funds is under consideration," Aidarbek Saparov reported.
According to him, in order to double agricultural production in the realization of the Concept of AIC development, a step-by-step roadmap has been approved and in January this year all regions were informed of the planned indicators. The republican indicator was overfulfilled by 4.7% in terms of reduction of areas of monoculture - wheat. Akimats of Akmola, Zhambyl, West-Kazakhstan, Turkestan, Karaganda regions have not carried out the work on oilseeds at the proper level. As a result, as a whole in the country, failure to achieve the planned indicator is noted. On fodder crops, rice and cotton the republican plan on diversification is fulfilled. According to the results of the work on reduction of areas of water-intensive crops, indicators for rice are not achieved in Almaty region and Zhetysu region. For cotton the plan was fully implemented, 16 thousand hectares were reduced. For socially important crop - sugar beet - the plan for the republic is not fulfilled by 10.4%, in particular, in Almaty region the plan is fulfilled only by 50%, in Zhambyl region by 74%. On mineral fertilizers weak work is noted in all regions, except Kyzylorda region. The plan to increase the share of elite seeds was fulfilled by 96%.
On the instructions of the Head of State, we together with the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation have a task to increase the area of irrigated land with the use of water-saving technologies up to 150 thousand hectares per year. The fact today is 56 thousand hectares, or 37%," the speaker noted.
According to him, practically in all oblasts there are still risks of non-fulfillment of this indicator, so akimats need to accelerate work in this direction.
As for the equipment, the actual renewal of machinery and tractor fleet amounted to 3.1% with the plan of 5.5%.
The government has allocated preferential financing for leasing of domestic agricultural machinery at ‘pure’ 5%. Applications are already being accepted. Akimats of regions need to conduct explanatory work among agricultural producers and ensure the achievement of planned indicators. On the part of the Government all the necessary work has been done as soon as possible," the head of the Ministry of Agriculture reminded colleagues from the regions.
In parallel, it is necessary to carry out qualitative work on the inventory of agricultural machinery. A special algorithm of joint actions has been communicated to local executive bodies.
In the livestock industry in order to reduce import dependence on milk and poultry meat for akimats indicators for the creation and expansion of dairy farms, poultry farms meat direction. For example, in dairy cattle breeding in accordance with the task of import substitution in the current year planned to commission 65 airy cattle breeding with a capacity of 373 thousand tons of milk. For these purposes 100 billion tenge have been allocated from the republican budget. At the end of the first half of the year 16 projects with a capacity of 67 thousand tons of milk were put into operation. The fulfillment of the annual plan amounted to 24.6%.
An integral part of realization of the above projects is acquisition of highly productive pedigree cattle. Within the framework of construction of airy cattle breedings, import of 30 thousand head of breeding cattle is planned this year. 8 regions imported 7.4 thousand cattle, or 24.6% of the planned volume.
On creation and expansion of poultry farms of meat direction in the current year planned 10 projects with a total capacity of about 72 thousand tons of poultry meat, of which 2 projects in Almaty and Kyzylorda regions, or 20% of the plan.
The Minister also noted that the execution of the indicative plan for the construction and acquisition of veterinary stations, cattle burial grounds or incinerators, slaughterhouses by regional akimats is not at the proper level. Practically all oblasts, except for North Kazakhstan region and Zhetysu region did not cope with the set task.
For epizootic well-being and development of veterinary service potential the regions should be necessarily provided with these facilities.
The planned volume of attracted investments in agro-industrial complex is 1.7 trillion tenge. At the end of 6 months of this year, this indicator for the republic amounted to about 410 billion tenge, or 24% of the plan," Saparov said.
Only Pavlodar Region has fulfilled more than 50% of the plan. The rest of the regions have low indicators. In this regard, akimats need to strengthen the work to achieve the annual indicator.
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