Visit to OAO Belovezhsky
- 10
The year 2016 will be the year of farming standards. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement as he visited the Ryasna division of the agricultural company OAO Belovezhsky on 28 August.
The head of state underlined that maintaining discipline in agriculture is a number one priority at present. Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that the government pays close attention to this economic branch and provides support, including financial support, by supplying agricultural enterprises with modern high-performance machines among other things. According to the President, Belarusian agriculture needs iron-willed executives and iron order for the sake of preserving the accomplishments.
Strict observance of technological standards is important. “If you don’t follow standards, you commit a crime,” stressed Aleksandr Lukashenko. “Those, who bury seeds in the soil and just wait for the harvest, are criminals. Such crimes cannot be permitted.”
The year 2016 will be the year of farming standards, the President said.
The head of state mentioned these matters while talking to OAO Belovezhsky workers and residents of the village of Ryasna. “Things will slide without discipline. If there is discipline and order, including the observance of standards, we will grow,” said the President.
Aleksandr Lukashenko said he believes it is necessary to think about ways to reward and encourage the executives and specialists who revive backward enterprises.
During the tour of the Ryasna enterprise Aleksandr Lukashenko was informed about the completion of the grain harvesting and forage harvesting campaign in Belarus. Corn harvesting was mentioned among other things. Aleksandr Lukashenko gave instructions to harvest maize for forage purposes where it is more advisable than grain maize harvesting.
Aleksandr Lukashenko was made familiar with the fulfillment of his instructions regarding the improvement of farming standards at dairy farms, which were previously owned by the agricultural enterprise Sovetskaya Belorussiya to be later handed over to the agricultural company OAO Belovezhsky. In particular, the President visited the dairy farm Oberovshchina where results of the farm’s retooling project were presented. Aleksandr Lukashenko was also made familiar with the technology the retooled farm uses to make high-quality milk. The President also visited the agricultural machines depot of OAO Belovezhsky’s Ryasna division where he was informed about what is being done to effectively run the modern machine and tractor fleet.
Aleksandr Lukashenko talked to the workers of OAO OAO Belovezhsky workers and residents of the village of Ryasna.
The head of state was asked about the pricing policy. According to the President, there should be no strict control in this area.
The President noted: “In the run-up to the election I could say that everything will be fine and so on. Everything will indeed be okay, we are not going to perish. But it is not the key matter today. Prices and salaries are not the point. Economic wars are in progress, primarily with regard to finance. China has devalued the yuan by roughly 10% and the measure has struck the entire world! Russia, which is closer to us, has devalued the ruble by three times. We’ve been affected by the move, our prices for meat and milk in Russia are now half of what they were. Kazakhstan has devalued the national currency for the second time. It is a partner of ours, too. Let alone Ukraine.”
“What do the leaders of these countries intend to accomplish? They would like to save their manufacturing sector and the country. What should we do in this situation? We are not so affected by market trends as they are, we hold on to some things and can manage the processes, including pricing, but not excessively,” said the head of state. In his words, if price growth in Belarus is slowed down while prices abroad continue rising, then manufacturing will stop, first of all, the production sector. “This is why regardless of our desires we are forced to follow suit of the other countries,” noted Aleksandr Lukashenko.
The President pointed out that Belarusian agriculture is still subsidized. “It is a matter of survival for some. We cannot cover all the expenses without raising prices. If we raise prices, our products may lose their competitive edge. This is why we are forced to subsidize. The entire world supports agriculture to a larger or greater extent, this is why we have to do it, too. But if prices for your products are higher, then your revenues are higher. At the same time higher prices in retail have a negative effect on people,” said the Belarusian leader.
“We will pull through this year. I think the next one will be easier. Even considering all the negative factors. Because it seems to me that the situation is at its worst in our region, it cannot get any worse than that. This is why we are living through the most difficult times,” believes the head of state.
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, market diversification is supposed to produce results. Belarus is working hard to sell its merchandise to Asia, Africa, and Latin America. “I think we will be able to compensate for losses in Russia with these markets. We just have to work a bit harder,” noted the President.
“We have to keep the country for our children. It will be bad if Belarus becomes a province of some other country once again,” believes the Belarusian leader. In his words, Belarus has to live in peace both with Europe and Russia but Belarusians need to live in their own land. “Just like health tranquility and security cannot be bought or sold. These are the things we have to preserve,” stressed the President.
“What for do you need U.S. dollars? To buy imported goods and spend your vacation in Egypt?” the head of state wondered. “You can go to Belovezhskaya Pushcha where there is no swelter and the air is wonderful. Braslav Lakes have become a little shallow, but still they are very good. We can spend our vacations in Belarus in this difficult time,” the President noted.
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, wonderful products are made in Belarus. The modernization of the worsted fabric factory, the linen industry is in the final stage, a wide range of cotton products is made in Belarus. “Our Belarusian goods sell well on the market,” the head of state noted.
“We can produce everything and we produce everything. We must take care of our country and buy Belarusian products. If 10 million local residents and 2 million people travelling through our country consume our products, there will be nothing to sell abroad. There will be no problems. Therefore, we need to change our psychology,” the President believes.
“There is a group of speculators in Belarus, like in any other country, who are used to playing games: I will buy today and resell tomorrow. We have a floating exchange rate. If you want to buy U.S. dollars, pay the market price. We do not control the exchange rate, we just monitor prices. It is dangerous to restrain the exchange rate,” the head of state remarked. He emphasized that it can have a bad impact on those who bring foreign currency to the country. “If someone brings U.S. dollars and wants to sell them, and we restrain the exchange rate, the market will be wild (we have already seen it), there will be two exchange rates. This will be a catastrophe,” the President added.
The head of state underlined that maintaining discipline in agriculture is a number one priority at present. Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that the government pays close attention to this economic branch and provides support, including financial support, by supplying agricultural enterprises with modern high-performance machines among other things. According to the President, Belarusian agriculture needs iron-willed executives and iron order for the sake of preserving the accomplishments.
Strict observance of technological standards is important. “If you don’t follow standards, you commit a crime,” stressed Aleksandr Lukashenko. “Those, who bury seeds in the soil and just wait for the harvest, are criminals. Such crimes cannot be permitted.”
The year 2016 will be the year of farming standards, the President said.
The head of state mentioned these matters while talking to OAO Belovezhsky workers and residents of the village of Ryasna. “Things will slide without discipline. If there is discipline and order, including the observance of standards, we will grow,” said the President.
Aleksandr Lukashenko said he believes it is necessary to think about ways to reward and encourage the executives and specialists who revive backward enterprises.
During the tour of the Ryasna enterprise Aleksandr Lukashenko was informed about the completion of the grain harvesting and forage harvesting campaign in Belarus. Corn harvesting was mentioned among other things. Aleksandr Lukashenko gave instructions to harvest maize for forage purposes where it is more advisable than grain maize harvesting.
Aleksandr Lukashenko was made familiar with the fulfillment of his instructions regarding the improvement of farming standards at dairy farms, which were previously owned by the agricultural enterprise Sovetskaya Belorussiya to be later handed over to the agricultural company OAO Belovezhsky. In particular, the President visited the dairy farm Oberovshchina where results of the farm’s retooling project were presented. Aleksandr Lukashenko was also made familiar with the technology the retooled farm uses to make high-quality milk. The President also visited the agricultural machines depot of OAO Belovezhsky’s Ryasna division where he was informed about what is being done to effectively run the modern machine and tractor fleet.
Aleksandr Lukashenko talked to the workers of OAO OAO Belovezhsky workers and residents of the village of Ryasna.
The head of state was asked about the pricing policy. According to the President, there should be no strict control in this area.
The President noted: “In the run-up to the election I could say that everything will be fine and so on. Everything will indeed be okay, we are not going to perish. But it is not the key matter today. Prices and salaries are not the point. Economic wars are in progress, primarily with regard to finance. China has devalued the yuan by roughly 10% and the measure has struck the entire world! Russia, which is closer to us, has devalued the ruble by three times. We’ve been affected by the move, our prices for meat and milk in Russia are now half of what they were. Kazakhstan has devalued the national currency for the second time. It is a partner of ours, too. Let alone Ukraine.”
“What do the leaders of these countries intend to accomplish? They would like to save their manufacturing sector and the country. What should we do in this situation? We are not so affected by market trends as they are, we hold on to some things and can manage the processes, including pricing, but not excessively,” said the head of state. In his words, if price growth in Belarus is slowed down while prices abroad continue rising, then manufacturing will stop, first of all, the production sector. “This is why regardless of our desires we are forced to follow suit of the other countries,” noted Aleksandr Lukashenko.
The President pointed out that Belarusian agriculture is still subsidized. “It is a matter of survival for some. We cannot cover all the expenses without raising prices. If we raise prices, our products may lose their competitive edge. This is why we are forced to subsidize. The entire world supports agriculture to a larger or greater extent, this is why we have to do it, too. But if prices for your products are higher, then your revenues are higher. At the same time higher prices in retail have a negative effect on people,” said the Belarusian leader.
“We will pull through this year. I think the next one will be easier. Even considering all the negative factors. Because it seems to me that the situation is at its worst in our region, it cannot get any worse than that. This is why we are living through the most difficult times,” believes the head of state.
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, market diversification is supposed to produce results. Belarus is working hard to sell its merchandise to Asia, Africa, and Latin America. “I think we will be able to compensate for losses in Russia with these markets. We just have to work a bit harder,” noted the President.
“We have to keep the country for our children. It will be bad if Belarus becomes a province of some other country once again,” believes the Belarusian leader. In his words, Belarus has to live in peace both with Europe and Russia but Belarusians need to live in their own land. “Just like health tranquility and security cannot be bought or sold. These are the things we have to preserve,” stressed the President.
“What for do you need U.S. dollars? To buy imported goods and spend your vacation in Egypt?” the head of state wondered. “You can go to Belovezhskaya Pushcha where there is no swelter and the air is wonderful. Braslav Lakes have become a little shallow, but still they are very good. We can spend our vacations in Belarus in this difficult time,” the President noted.
According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, wonderful products are made in Belarus. The modernization of the worsted fabric factory, the linen industry is in the final stage, a wide range of cotton products is made in Belarus. “Our Belarusian goods sell well on the market,” the head of state noted.
“We can produce everything and we produce everything. We must take care of our country and buy Belarusian products. If 10 million local residents and 2 million people travelling through our country consume our products, there will be nothing to sell abroad. There will be no problems. Therefore, we need to change our psychology,” the President believes.
“There is a group of speculators in Belarus, like in any other country, who are used to playing games: I will buy today and resell tomorrow. We have a floating exchange rate. If you want to buy U.S. dollars, pay the market price. We do not control the exchange rate, we just monitor prices. It is dangerous to restrain the exchange rate,” the head of state remarked. He emphasized that it can have a bad impact on those who bring foreign currency to the country. “If someone brings U.S. dollars and wants to sell them, and we restrain the exchange rate, the market will be wild (we have already seen it), there will be two exchange rates. This will be a catastrophe,” the President added.