Agriculture of the Kaliningrad region: development prospects

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

The Kaliningrad region, due to its remoteness from the main territories of the country, is considered one of the most problematic regions of Russia. Difficulties in this part of the Russian Federation are often experienced by both industrial companies and agribusiness enterprises. However, despite this, for example, agriculture in the Kaliningrad region has recently, like almost everywhere in the Russian Federation, experienced a certain rise.

Features of the region

Since Soviet times, the Kaliningrad region has been considered one of the most developed regions in terms of agriculture. Suffice it to say that only about 800 thousand hectares of land are occupied here under arable land, which leaves 60% of the territory. At the same time, 92% of such sites in the region have been reclaimed. The only thing is that even today the region needs large funds to drain some lands.

Specialization

Cattle breeding and crop growing are quite well developed in the Kaliningrad region today. The share of the first region in agriculture accounts for about 47%, the second - 53%. The territory of the region is small. At the same time, part of the products from here is traditionally imported to Europe. Therefore, the share of livestock and crop products supplied to the domestic market from the Kaliningrad region is usually low. In most cases, it does not exceed 0.5-1% of the total in Russia.

Crop production

This industry is currently one of the most important in the economy of the Kaliningrad region. Many varieties of agricultural crops are grown in the fields in this part of Russia. This region supplies a lot to the domestic and world markets, for example, rapeseed. In terms of the cultivation of this crop, the Kaliningrad region often occupies even the first places in Russia. Also quite popular in this region are the following types of agricultural plants:

• triticale;
• buckwheat;
• corn;
• wheat;
• rye;
• barley;
• oats;
• beans.

Besides this, quite a lot of mustard, potatoes and vegetables are grown in the Kaliningrad region.

Livestock

Agriculture is certainly a promising industry for the Kaliningrad region. This is especially true for animal husbandry. There have always been quite a lot of such farms in this region. Agricultural enterprises of this direction in the region specialize in growing a variety of animal species. There are a lot of sheep farms in this region, for example. Also, farmers in the Kaliningrad region raise goats. Second most commonafter the MRS, the direction of animal husbandry in this region is poultry farming. Good indicators are recorded in the region for the supply of chicken meat and eggs to the market.

It is believed that pig breeding is also well developed in the Kaliningrad region. Also, some farms in this region keep dairy cattle.

What are the problems

In the Kaliningrad region, as well as almost everywhere in Russia, today some growth in agricultural production is planned. The severe crisis of the 90s of the last century, when most of the arable land in the region was abandoned, and there was nothing to feed cows, pigs and goats, has now been almost completely overcome here. However, of course, even today the region is experiencing some problems with the development of agriculture.

The main problems of this sector of the economy in the Kaliningrad region today are:

• high competition in the market due to the importation of cheap food from Poland and Lithuania;
• lack of an adequate mechanism for medium and long-term lending to farms;
• low fertilization;
• rather weak food base.

In recent years in the Kaliningrad region there has been an increase in the production of meat for small cattle, pork and poultry. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about beef. Meat cattle are practically not bred in this region. The rate of beef production in the region continues to decline.

In crop production, the main problem in the Kaliningradarea is low fertilizer application. At the moment, the farms of this region are also not fully provided with equipment.

The most serious problem of agricultural enterprises in the Kaliningrad region, specializing in crop production, is waterlogging and wetting of land due to rain. Because of this, farmers and large agro-industrial enterprises in the region are now suffering huge losses.

In Soviet times, land reclamation work was carried out on vast areas in state and collective farms of the Kaliningrad region. Now the land in the region is mostly divided into shared plots. Accordingly, it is quite problematic at the moment to cooperate with the owners in order to carry out the necessary work on drainage.

Farmers' problems

Unfortunately, the share of peasant farms in the Kaliningrad region in 2018 is only about 5%. At the same time, about a quarter of farms in the region operate successfully. In any case, like many other peasant farms in Russia, peasant farms in the Kaliningrad region are experiencing the following problems:

• lack of fertilizer or animal feed;
• scarcity of markets.

But, nevertheless, it is believed that farming in this region is developing quite well. This is especially true for farms engaged in cattle breeding. Farmers account for a huge share of milk production in the Kaliningrad region. About half of such products supplied to the market today by the region are produced by peasant farms.

Prospects for development

The basic foundations for the development of agriculture in the Kaliningrad region were laid in 2006. Then the leadership of the region determined the priorities for the development of the agro-industrial complex. Also in 2006, the principles of support for the industry by the authorities were formed. Over the next few years, the region paid maximum attention, for example, to the development of livestock breeding, training of qualified personnel, developed, if not perfect, but still more or less working schemes for lending and relations between farmers and banks.

Quite a lot from the Ministry of Agriculture of the Kaliningrad region for the development of the agro-industrial complex in the region was done in 2018. started paying VAT every year. Smaller farms are exempted from this obligation so far. But at the same time, VAT in the region is included in the cost of fertilizers, fuel, etc. That is, large farms subsequently return part of their money to themselves.

Measures to support regional farmers and the agro-industrial complex, adopted last year by responsible structures and the governor of the region Anton Alikhanov, include, first of all, the abolition of the recycling fee for equipment. The authorities of the region believe that such a decision will make it easier for business executives to equip the fleet of agricultural machines.

The grant system in 2018 made it possible to involve Kaliningrad farmers in vegetable growing. Prior to this, there were very few farms of such specialization in the region. Also, many farmers of the Kaliningradregions in recent years have been engaged in the cultivation of oyster mushrooms and mushrooms. This direction in the region is also recognized as very promising.

Starting from 2006, the production of potatoes, cabbage and beets has been steadily increasing in the region. Thanks to the support of the authorities, since about 2016, the indicators for growing Beijing and Brussels sprouts, carrots, and broccoli have also begun to improve in the region. The authorities are going to continue to support this area of crop production in the region.

Cheese factories

Cheese-making is considered another promising branch of agriculture in the Kaliningrad region. At the moment, small enterprises of this specialization are actively developing in the region. Since goat breeding is quite well developed in the region, cheeses here are most often made from the milk of these animals.

In order to support the agro-industrial complex in 2018, the Ministry of Agriculture of the Kaliningrad Region also simplified the procedure for signing agreements with large re altors. Previously, the need to review multi-page contracts often even scared away start-up entrepreneurs.

Success

The agricultural industry, therefore, in the Kaliningrad region is recognized as more than promising. Over the past few years, in terms of the development of the agro-industrial complex, its employees, with the support of the administration and Governor Anton Alikhanov, have managed to achieve significant success. Even 5-10 years ago, on the shelves of stores in the region one could seemainly imported agricultural products. Today, the region is almost 100% self-sufficient in such goods.