Andrey Bocharov, Governor of the Volgograd Region, held an off-site meeting at the site of the seedling complex in the Sredneakhtubinsky District. With the involvement of state support, a large-scale investment project is being implemented here.
Before the meeting, Andrey Bocharov toured the first professional seedling complex in Russia with a plant grafting center. Then the head of the region, together with farmers, discussed the issues of import substitution in the agro-industrial complex, including the formation of a strategy for the development of breeding and seed production until 2030.
Vladimir Putin recently set this task within the framework of import substitution, and the Volgograd Region started its implementation well in advance. In the Sredneakhtubinsky district, modern greenhouses, the Center for Innovation and Consulting in Vegetable Growing, a robotic service center and a logistics line have already been opened. Further plans include an increase in the area of greenhouses, the development of the energy system.
Up to 300 million roots of various vegetable crops are grown here annually, deliveries are made to 17 regions of Russia and Belarus.
“Today, the task is to take serious steps to strengthen our activities in the development of breeding and seed production,” Andrey Bocharov emphasized following the inspection of the agricultural enterprise. – The Volgograd region is ready to allocate funds for the development of this area. We consider this the most important state task.
The governor also noted that today there is a huge demand for Volgograd seedlings: “And our task is to increase the volume of its production in order to meet the needs of all those who wish to purchase it.”
He also stressed that the task of developing breeding and seed production cannot be solved in one day – it will be divided into stages, in accordance with which the participants in this work and sources of funding will be determined. The region also intends to enter the relevant federal programs.
“The Volgograd region is ready to become an interregional center for the development of selection and seed production,” summed up the head of the region.