Alexander Rogozhnik: "At the heart of any endeavor is a person. This is the foundation"
Vitebsk region has prepared well for the current sowing campaign. This was announced by the Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee, Alexander Rogozhnik, to journalists after a report to the President of Belarus.
– As of today, we have sown 40% of the areas. The main focus is on timely fodder procurement. This year, we are increasing the sowing area for corn by 25% and for alfalfa. All seeds have been purchased, equipment has been repaired – over 300 units. High-power tractors and sowing units have been prepared in a timely manner. The issue of purchasing fuel and lubricants and fertilizers has been resolved with the help of the President and the government, – explained the head of the region.
Alexander Rogozhnik emphasized the purchase of modern equipment and spoke about cooperation with the St. Petersburg Tractor Plant.
– The region's need for high-power tractors is about 400 units. With the support of the government and the President, this year we purchased about 150 high-power tractors from MTZ and decided to acquire 47 machines from the St. Petersburg Tractor Plant, which are half made of Belarusian components. We are in one Union State, and this cooperation is mutually beneficial. Russian "Kirovets" tractors are working in our fields, and they perform very well. They are somewhat cheaper and cope excellently with our clay soils. According to farmers, some Russian tractors have worked 17,000 hours and are still in operation, – emphasized the head of the region.
The Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee said that to ensure the safety of young livestock in the Vitebsk region, it is planned to build more than 150 prophylactic facilities for calves.
– Work in this direction is already underway. Part has already been built, foundations have been poured in some, and 11 are ready. One of the examples of such a facility is at KUSP "Mezhevo-Agro" in the Orsha district. This is a strong farm with good land quality. About 70 prophylactic facilities are intended for calves up to two months old. We are considering a number of projects and want to choose the optimal option that involves maximum use of wood, already prepared in our farms. Given that the weather is normalizing, we have actively started construction, – noted Alexander Rogozhnik.
The head of the region also touched upon such an important issue as staffing.
– A person is at the head of any endeavor. This is the foundation. Modern equipment requires a qualified worker who values their work and receives a decent salary for it. I draw attention to the fact that it is earned. We are focusing on increasing the number of young specialists. This year, there will be more than 500 such individuals. And the most important thing here is that the young person is provided with decent working and living conditions. This work is under constant control, – said Alexander Rogozhnik.
He also emphasized that during the sowing campaign, industrial enterprises and the Ministry of Defense are providing assistance to agricultural enterprises. More than 700 machine operators have been involved. However, the emphasis should be on those people who will come to work on the farms.