The Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, Nikolai Sherstnev, answered questions from the Editor-in-Chief of "Sel'skaya Gazeta".
The Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, Nikolai Sherstnev, answered questions from the Editor-in-Chief of "Sel'skaya Gazeta".
— Dear Nikolai Nikolaevich, this Saturday Vitebsk region will celebrate "Dazhynki". You, like all regions, do this annually, but the preliminary results of this year's harvest, the harvest itself, and the preparation for it are significantly different, perhaps, from all previous ones. Why and how?
— People who work the land know well that there is no easy bread. Specific climatic conditions constrain the capabilities and potential of Vitebsk region's agrarians. There were also peculiarities this year. The prevailing weather during the growing season led to the fact that the ripening of grain was delayed compared to previous years. As a result, the region's farms only started the mass harvesting on August 1, while last year it was July 22. A decent harvest was formed in the fields. The crops were pleasing with their well-kept appearance and cleanliness, with ripe and full-weight ears of grain. Vitebsk region's agrarians did everything possible to gather the grown harvest.
— Among other things, the harvest and the entire agricultural cycle are taking place under conditions where the reform of the agro-industrial complex in the region is practically completed: in total, there are 7 agro-industrial associations operating in Vitebsk region, established by Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus No. 70 of February 25, 2020 "On the Development of the Vitebsk Region Agro-Industrial Complex" on the basis of OJSC "Verkhnedzvinsk Butter and Cheese Factory", "Vitebsk Meat Packing Plant", "Moloko" of Vitebsk city, "Postavy Dairy Plant", "Glubokoye Dairy and Canning Plant", "Orsha Meat Packing Plant", "Polotsk Dairy Plant". They comprise 142 organizations. And although the year is not yet over, what can already be said about the effectiveness of their work, what assessment can be given?
— The creation of agro-industrial associations is a kind of reboot for the agricultural sector of our region. Yes, seven flagships head such formations. These are plants and factories with the highest revenue concentration and a complete production cycle: from field to counter. Each of them is aimed at full utilization of the production capacities of processing enterprises, and for this, it is necessary to constantly increase the volume of agricultural products. The present and the future lie with such large associations; this is a guarantee of our food security.
Thanks to the Decree of the President, agricultural enterprises, which previously had a number of long-standing financial problems, a factor that, incidentally, hindered successful development, now have the opportunity to achieve their planned production targets. In particular, debt obligations have been restructured. Furthermore, the Programme for the Development of the Vitebsk Region's Agro-Industrial Complex for 2020–2035 has been developed and approved.
Positive dynamics are already evident. In
Undoubtedly, the attractive system of material incentives currently in place in our region positively influences professional motivation. Two years ago, the salaries of machine operators and specialists in the livestock sector were adjusted upwards. Professionals dedicated to their work, interested in the final result and in increasing performance indicators, can earn from 2,000 Belarusian rubles and more, taking into account all bonuses. Where there is a decent salary, I believe, there are no staffing difficulties. Incidentally, the gap between the average monthly salary in rural areas and in industry has decreased by almost 5 percent.
Another significant factor influencing the image of the sector is personnel training. We focus on nurturing production specialists who should arrive at their workplaces as prepared and motivated professionals. The perception of rural life and production is formed from an early age, which is the aim of the agro-classes established in the region. Specialized secondary and higher education institutions are intended to strengthen these positions, having doubled the duration of industrial practice. Only advanced farms equipped with modern machinery serve as the base. Among the benefits provided to graduates are deferment from military conscription, substitution of active military service with reserve service, financial assistance for establishing a household, incentive bonuses to salary, and provision of well-appointed housing or compensation for rental costs. The Vitebsk region strives to create the most attractive conditions for young specialists. In this regard, the percentage of their arrival and retention in the region increases annually.
— We will return to the best examples and records of the 2020 harvest a little later, but for now, how do you comment on the fact that, for example, as of September 14, some districts were significantly behind in harvested areas, and in Ushachi district, about 18 percent of the grain crops had not yet been harvested? Isn't the gap between the regions in general and individual districts of the Vitebsk region in particular too large?
— There are no identical districts or farms, neither in terms of material and technical resources, nor even staffing, nor in terms of natural and climatic conditions. It so happened that while our region, being the northernmost in the republic, is just starting the harvest, the southern regions are completing it at the same time.
The harvesting season began promisingly. The weather allowed for maintaining its high pace. However, almost daily rains in the third decade of August effectively halted field operations. During this period, precipitation across the region averaged twice the norm (57 millimeters against a norm of 24), and in the Orsha district, it reached 361 percent of the ten-day norm. If by August 20th, an average of 13.7 thousand hectares were harvested daily, with 274 thousand hectares already completed (representing 74 percent of the area), then afterwards, the pace decreased fivefold: an average of 2.4 thousand hectares per day.
Due to the expansion of sown areas for grain and leguminous crops to 400 thousand hectares, the calculated workload per unit of machinery has increased. Overall for the region, it amounted to approximately 500 hectares of grain, leguminous, cruciferous crops, perennial grass seeds, and corn for grain.
Today, it is important to focus on increasing labor productivity in crop production through the use of high-performance agricultural machinery. Gradually, farms in the region are acquiring high-horsepower tractors, grain and forage harvesters. However, due to a deficit in financial resources, the pace of updating the material and technical base is unfortunately slow. The Vitebsk region continues to have the highest level of wear and tear on its machinery and tractor fleet in the republic. Furthermore, the overall results are affected by a shortage of machine operator personnel (with an annual additional recruitment of 600-700 people for sowing and harvesting), and shorter agro-technical periods for sowing, harvesting, and other field work compared to other regions of the country. Therefore, annually, during the sowing, fodder preparation, and harvesting campaigns, inter-farm mechanized detachments are formed, personnel are drawn from industrial enterprises in cities, and machinery is redeployed to lagging farms. To carry out the entire range of agricultural work twice as fast and with higher quality, and ultimately to eliminate the overlapping of operations characteristic only of the Vitebsk region, we need to ensure a serious technical re-equipment of the sector in our region, both in terms of reliability and functionality.
— The year, as you, Nikolay Nikolayevich, mentioned, has been significant and successful for the region in crop production: high yields, a good gross harvest of grain crops. In my opinion, everyone, from the regional executive committee employee to the combine operator, achieved this despite the mentioned weather peculiarities and subjective difficulties. What was the primary reason for this success?
— The achievements can be explained by the terms "intensification" and "adherence to technology." This year, agricultural organizations in the region harvested 1 million 76 thousand tons of grain with an average yield of 31.2 centners per hectare. This is the best indicator in the last five years! At the same time, I would like to note that the agricultural workers were set to reach a higher bar, but, as I have already said, unfavorable weather conditions interfered. A quarter of the region's harvest was formed by two districts, each of which exceeded a hundred thousand tons of grain. In detail, it looks like this: Orsha district harvested 125 thousand tons of grain, and Vitebsk district – 117 thousand tons. This is an absolute record: prior to this, the historical maximum of 104.6 thousand tons was achieved only in 2014. I would like to highlight JSC "Khotily-Agro" of Postavy district, SPC "Larinovka" of Orsha district, "MazolovoGaz" of Vitebsk district, the branch "Goryany-Agro" of JSC "Polotsk CRP" and a number of other farms. I would like to specifically mention JSC "Vitebsk Broiler Poultry Factory," which ensured the collection of over 52 thousand tons of grain, surpassing 14 (!) districts of the region in this indicator. They harvested 48.3 centners per hectare.
This year, the gross yield of cruciferous oilseeds exceeded 116 thousand tons, which is 12 percent higher than last year's level. Of this, 17.8 thousand tons were harvested in Vitebsk district, and half of this harvest was formed by JSC "Vitebsk Broiler Poultry Factory." RUP "Tolochinsky Cannery" also achieved the best harvest volumes (6.1 thousand tons).
Vitebsk region was the first among other regions of the republic to fully fulfill the state order for 109.4 thousand tons of food grain.
— Following this logical chain, substantial reserves of harvested feed grain (not including corn grain yet) allow for successful performance in animal husbandry (provided at least a year's supply of forage is created), in the production and processing of products, including those with high added value. And to market them domestically and internationally. Consequently, indicators in this area will also improve, and all this, again, will properly affect the well-being of the workers involved in these processes – both rank-and-file employees and agro-managers. Could you elaborate on this direction?
— Undoubtedly, the well-being of the agricultural sector and, consequently, of rural workers depends on the production and sale of livestock products. It is no secret: with an adequate feed base, the effect will be tangible in the dairy sector as well. For these purposes, an optimal structure of sown areas has been formed in the region. The emphasis is on the economic efficiency of farming: maximum profit must be extracted from each unit of area. With
We are focusing on high-protein crops. This will allow us to increase land productivity, procure the necessary feed reserves, and, along with technological housing of dairy livestock, increase its productivity. Ultimately, this will not only lead to growth in product volumes but also to the utilization of our processing enterprises' capacities. It is also important to correctly distribute flows, increase presence in domestic and foreign markets, and, of course, constantly maintain consumer interest. Then success is inevitable. And it is primarily expressed in revenue, working capital, as well as wage growth linked to labor productivity.— It is time to talk about the harvest records of 2020. They are not only in threshed grain, although that is the culmination of the harvest. In this regard, other records are also of interest: for example, purely economic ones – efficient use of equipment, technologically verified and justified agronomic solutions, and other non-standard approaches that have led (or will lead) to high results.
— I believe that the main thing for any agricultural organization today is to operate in sync with the real economy, to manage technologically, and to learn to earn money. It seems that for this, some agro-managers need to undergo a psychological shift, to think in a modern way, and to embrace the new more boldly. After all, all the necessary advantages for the successful achievement of production goals are provided, which should be translated into practical actions. The best results are achieved by those who widely use the achievements of agricultural science, apply high-yielding crop varieties, and work with modern equipment. Leading farms (which I have already mentioned above) have elevated these approaches to a cult.
This year, regional competitions were held to achieve the best results in crop harvesting. This involves mobilizing agricultural workers to increase productivity, ensure high-quality execution of all agricultural work, and efficient use of material and labor resources.
The family crew of Alexander and Andrey Komarov from the "Zadneprovsky" branch of OJSC "Orshansky KHP" wrote a bright page in the agricultural chronicle of the region: having accounted for grain and rapeseed, they threshed over 5 thousand tons. Leonid Alekseenko and Sergey Kolbasov from the "Zaozerie" branch of OJSC "Vitebsky Meat Processing Plant" also surpassed the five-thousand-ton mark, achieving the best result in the republic among youth crews.
In rapeseed harvesting, Oleg Sushkevich and Vitaly Sumanov from OJSC "Orshansky KHP", as well as Andrey Belyaev from OJSC "Vitebsky Meat Processing Plant", exceeded the one-thousand-ton threshed mark.
Approximately 800 drivers were involved in transporting the harvest from the combines. Among those who transported over 4.5 thousand tons are Alexander Aksyuto (ZAO "ASB Agro-Novator" of Beshenkovichi district), Alexander Batyan (OJSC "Yakubovo-Agro" of Dubrovno district), Vladimir Poboykin (OJSC "Pravda-S" of Dubrovno district).
— They say about the Polesians: they are hard workers, the same Belarusians, but with a mark of quality. About the Grodno peasants – they are strong managers, this is historically predetermined… What is the phenomenon of the Vitebsk villagers, agro-managers, where are their strengths? Perhaps you will also speak about this to their best representatives from the main stage of "Dazhynki", which is taking place in the regional center this year…
— The main phenomenon of the Vitebsk villagers, I would call patience and endurance. This is primarily due to the fact that the results of their labor are subject to the influence of natural factors. The Vitebsk region is in a zone of risky agriculture and is most susceptible to this. Surely no one else can work as productively in such conditions as the Vitebsk agrarians do. And they truly know the real value of the labor invested in the land, the ear of corn filled with life.
Many thanks to all the rural workers for their difficult work, for their loyalty to the peasant duty, professionalism, dedication, and inexhaustible love for their land. I wish everyone good health, happiness, prosperity, and well-being! And, of course, what is important and necessary in the work of every farmer: reliable equipment, favorable weather, and high yields!
— Thank you very much, Nikolay Nikolayevich, for the interview!