Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
by Kirill Velesov
[REGNUM] The Russian domestic market is fully supplied with food. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev informed Vladimir Putin of this at a working meeting held in the Kremlin on May 27.
A good foundation has been created for the 2026 harvest, the deputy prime minister reported to the president. This year, 83 million hectares have been allocated for sowing. The weather this spring was challenging, with warmth delayed in several regions, but farmers are quickly making up for lost time. " Significantly more than half of the required area has already been sown," Patrushev said. In addition to the 83 million hectares allocated for spring crops, 20 million hectares were sown with winter crops last fall—and 97% successfully survived the winter.
The head of state keeps the harvest issue—as a strategic matter—under close scrutiny. Putin's primary goal for the domestic agricultural industry and its overseers in the government is to maintain the country's ability to feed itself without dependence on external supplies. This trend was set in 2014, when, in response to the Crimean sanctions, Russia imposed an embargo on Western agricultural products.
This state protection has opened up additional opportunities for our agricultural producers. The state, for its part, is assisting farmers and agricultural holdings with targeted grants and preferential leasing of machinery and equipment. Patrushev announced that assistance is guaranteed this year as well.
FIELD ROBOTS
"To maintain the affordability of agricultural machinery, we are, in particular, continuing to develop our preferential leasing program. Currently, supply volumes… are already almost 1.5 times higher than last year," the Deputy Prime Minister reported.
The state-owned company Rosagroleasing is implementing a project to develop MTS (machine-technical stations), which allow farmers to quickly and easily rent the equipment they need at any time. As Patrushev explained, this is essentially a revival of the Soviet MTS system (then known as machine-tractor stations) at a new technological level.
The state helps agriculture develop not only extensively, but also to reach a new technological level and master and apply digital technologies.
"We currently have 24,000 units of various automated equipment operating in the fields," Patrushev said. " Artificial intelligence and computer vision are used in livestock farming. And processing plants are actively using robotic equipment."
The Ministry of Agriculture works closely with Roshydromet, creating a digital platform through which forecasters can quickly transmit weather data.
Overall, the Russian agro-industrial complex (AIC) has become an industry open to the latest digital solutions. "Of course, this has a positive impact on process efficiency and increased production volumes," noted Dmitry Patrushev.
OUR OWN SELECTION
Starting in 2022, the issue of Russia's food sovereignty will be particularly pressing. The key issue here is providing our farmers with domestically produced seeds and fertilizers.
"Since 2022, our domestic seed supply has increased from 60% to 70%," Patrushev informed the head of state. "There has been a significant breakthrough in certain crops, where historically, foreign-bred varieties have been used primarily. These include sugar beets, sunflowers, and rapeseed."
As for fertilizers, Russia not only produces them for its own needs, but is also increasing their exports, including to the United States.
"I'd like to add that in recent years, we've been creating so-called agrobiotechnoparks. These are essentially unique clusters that combine the efforts of science and business to develop a particular science- or capital-intensive area in the agricultural sector," noted Dmitry Patrushev.
Thanks to government support, numerous new producers have entered the domestic market, while established players have increased production. The country now has virtually the entire range of products it needs.
Having supplied its own market with food, Russia is also concerned about global food security, Patrushev noted.
"We supply our products to our foreign partners. We expect to export 60 million tons of grain this agricultural season, which runs from July 1st to July 1st next year. This is a very respectable result," the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.
We benefit significantly from caring about other countries' food security. Export revenues are almost 25% higher than in the same period in 2025, the deputy prime minister told the president.
Patrushev added that the volume of Russian agricultural technology exports is also growing, something that “previously was practically nonexistent.”
"First and foremost, these are seeds, genetic material, and breeding stock," the Deputy Prime Minister explained. " We have a significant amount of high-quality developments that are highly valued by buyers abroad. Last year alone, exports of these items increased by 40%."
MODERN AND CLEAN ENVIRONMENT
"While developing technologies, we also don't forget the need to improve the quality of life for people in rural areas," Dmitry Patrushev emphasized. He informed Putin that the state program "Comprehensive Development of Rural Areas," which has been in effect for seven years, will cover 13,500 villages and hamlets by 2026.
"Our villages are constantly being reimagined," Patrushev noted. "These include modern schools, kindergartens, medical, sports, and cultural facilities, and new roads. More than 6,000 infrastructure facilities have been built and modernized, and 200,000 families have already found new homes." Assistance programs for those working in rural areas will continue, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.
For the seven years that the rural development program has been in effect, the United Russia party has provided support—it places great emphasis on rural development, Patrushev added. This issue is also on the president's radar. Vladimir Putin has tasked both central and local authorities with achieving equal improvements in quality of life across the country, which will transform villages into magnets for skilled professionals.
One of the main keys to a high quality of life is a clean environment.
"Vladimir Vladimirovich, if you don't mind, I'd like to ask you about forestry—it's also a very important issue for us," Patrushev remarked, adding, "For the sixth year in a row, we've maintained a rate of reforestation that outpaces deforestation. By 2026, Russia is expected to have over 1 million hectares of new forests. Therefore, we certainly expect to maintain this important trend."
Clean air and water are critical issues for both rural areas and, especially, industrial cities. The President, who oversees the implementation of environmental programs, raised the issue of creating green belts around major urban areas.
"We're working on that too. It's a crucial issue around major cities. That's your instruction. And the most important thing is that we have our own seedlings there," Patrushev said.
In a conversation with the Deputy Prime Minister, the President highlighted the objectives of the Clean Air project. He recalled that the first stage focused on reducing emissions in 12 cities with the most pressing environmental impacts.
"Indeed, we initially conducted work in 12 industrial centers, and hazardous emissions have already been reduced by more than 20% thanks to our efforts," Patrushev reported. The project has now expanded to 29 more major industrial centers.
The private sector in these cities is being encouraged to switch to more environmentally friendly heating systems. Polluting industries will be equipped with modern purification systems and automatic emission control systems, the Deputy Prime Minister announced.
The project's implementation will continue to be monitored, as the president has set a common goal: to improve the well-being of citizens while maintaining a clean environment.
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