"In 2017 Russia has achieved outstanding results. 140 million tons of grains and vegetables. This is a result that our country has never known at any time in its history. Therefore, if we reach the export level of about 45-50 million tons, and this level of harvest allows it to be done in compliance with all reserve norms, so that everything is in order with the provision of bread and grain to all producers, this will solve many problems", — Prime-minister Dmitry Medvedev during his interview to Russian TV-channels.
Journalist: Dmitry Anatolyevich, let me move on to the topic of daily bread — literally. Russia’s been setting records in grain yields, including wheat, for several years in a row. And in connection with the growth of supplies from our country, prices are dropping both in the world market and in Russia. For farmers, this is a problem. Investment programs are being decreased, jobs are being cut. Does the government plan to regulate the grain market more rigorously and how, in the end, can the interests of prices and the interests of agricultural producers be balanced?
Dmitry Medvedev: I’ll begin by saying that we’ve achieved outstanding results. I’d like to praise all the farmers and, ultimately, to praise those measures that we took to support the agricultural sector. 140 million tons of grains and legumes. This is a result that our country has never known at any time in its history, under any system, or under any state. The result is outstanding. Now, we need to use this wisely. We’ve become the largest net exporter of wheat and grain. It’s capital. It's currency. And it can actually help our farmers. Therefore, if we reach the export level of about 45-50 million tons, and this level of harvest allows it to be done in compliance with all reserve norms, so that everything is in order with the provision of bread and grain to all producers, this will solve many problems. This is the first point.
The second one is that we must, of course, invest in deep processing of grain. It’s about modern technologies, it’s about the production of amino acids, it’s about a huge number of different additives, which are also used for supporting livestock, in livestock development. This is the second point.
The third one is that it’s important that our logistics capabilities be brought into line with our increased capacity for grain production. It’s about investment in ports, investment in roads.
The fourth point, which is related to the third one, is about the tariff component, taking into account the specific results that we’ve achieved this year, the outstanding results in harvest collection. We made a number of decisions and will take many more, to support agrarians by using lower tariffs for rail transportation.
The journalist: Will there be enough cars?
Dmitry Medvedev: There will, there will.
