Presidium of Russian govt to discuss state support to farming sector

MOSCOW, April 28 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian government's presidium
will meet on Thursday to discuss the implementation of the state program
of support to agricultural producers, the government's press service
reports. Members of the presidium will also discuss measures to unify
rules of granting industrial subsidies and amendments to the law on the
status of the military.
Russian Minister of Agriculture Elena Skrynnikn will deliver a report
on the implementation of the state farming support program in 2010.
According to the ministry's statistics, production in the crop sector
dropped by 25.4 percent basically because of the drought, while the animal
breeding sector featured a 2.6 percent growth.
"Last year, the program's subsidies amounted to one trillion and 30
billion roubles in loans, of which 589.3 billion roubles were investment
loans," the ministry said and added, however, that the bulk of the program'
s goals were not reached in 2010. Thus, the share of lands under stock
crops accounted for only 83.3 percent of the targeted figure, lands under
rape accounted for 65.8 percent, while land under perennial cultures
accounted for 47.9 percent of the planned figure.
Then, Minister of Defence Anatoly Serdyukov will read out amendments
to the law on the status of the military. Minister of Health and Social
Development Tatiana Golikova will report on amendments to the law on
obligatory social insurance, and Minister of Economic Development Elvira
Nabiullina will present for ratification an agreement on unified rule of
granting industrial subsidies.