Translated material
The Smolensk region approved a program for the development of cattle breeding until 2016 worth 203 million rubles
The Smolensk region has approved a long-term regional target program "Development of beef cattle breeding" for 2013-2015 with a funding volume of 203.25 million rubles, the Smolensk region department of agriculture and food told Interfax.
The agency’s interlocutor clarified that the share of the regional budget in financing the program will be 23.25 million rubles, and rural producers will invest 180 million rubles in the program’s activities.
“As part of the program, subsidies will be allocated from the regional budget to rural producers to reimburse part of the costs of maintaining breeding stock of beef cattle, for the purchase of bull calves for further fattening and specialized equipment (processing machines, scales, heated drinking bowls, electric shepherds, equipment for feeding calves) ", a department representative said.
According to him, the total number of beef cattle in the region's farms at the end of 2012 was 4.16 thousand heads, including 1.6 thousand cows. By 2014, two breeding farms should appear in the region: one for breeding Aberdeen Angus cattle, the second for Galloway cattle.
“To create (conditions for) the development of beef cattle breeding in the Smolensk region there is an important resource - the presence of 334 thousand hectares of natural forage land,” the agency’s interlocutor noted, adding that “interest in beef cattle breeding in the Smolensk region increased in 2011.”
At the same time, a representative of the department named factors hindering the development of this cattle breeding industry.
“The main obstacles to the sustainable development of competitive beef cattle breeding are the low proportion of beef cattle productivity and the insufficient level of technical and technological equipment of the industry. In addition, natural forage lands are in unsatisfactory condition, and agricultural producers have no material interest in fattening livestock and producing meat ", the department explained.