The Ministry of Agriculture is going to limit the rights of foreigners to land: they use it in a “barbaric way,” especially citizens of the PRC

The Ministry of Agriculture wants to limit the rights of foreigners to own land in Russia. The department announced the development of such amendments on the official information disclosure portal, Rossiyskaya Gazeta reports. The expected date for the new rules to come into force is May 2016.

According to Rosreestr, as of July 2015, the area of ​​agricultural land owned or leased to foreign entities is about 12 million hectares, the Ministry of Agriculture notes in accompanying materials.

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At the same time, the ministry adds that, according to Rosselkhoznadzor, lands provided to foreign persons, especially citizens of the People's Republic of China, "are used in a barbaric way: they are littered with production waste, the fertile layer is mixed with plastic film, pesticides that do not have state registration in Russia are used, or they are violated regulations for their use."

In this regard, the Ministry of Agriculture proposes to limit the rights of foreigners in terms of ownership of land in Russia. They will be able to rent it only for a certain period of time - from three to 10 years. The maximum size of the total area of ​​agricultural land, which is located on the territory of one municipal district and can be used by one foreign person, is proposed to be limited to 5% of the total area. Landlords, in turn, will be required to inspect the land plot leased to a foreigner at least once a year - during the period of field agricultural work.

In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture proposes to oblige companies to disclose information about beneficiaries when submitting documents to Rosreestr for registration of land transactions, and at the same time establish requirements that foreigners applying for the right to enter into a land lease agreement must meet.

Let us recall that recently a largely negative reaction from residents and a number of politicians was met with the intention of the authorities of the Trans-Baikal Territory to lease 150 thousand hectares of fallow land and pastures to the Chinese company Zoje Resources Investment for 49 years.