The Day of the Worker of Agriculture and Processing Industry in the Russian Federation, annually celebrated on the second Sunday of October, was established by decree of the President of the Russian Federation of May 31, 1999. In 2022, the date falls on October 9th.
Initially, the holiday was established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on August 26, 1966. It was called “All-Union Day of Agricultural Workers” and was also celebrated on the second Sunday of October. The “Day of Food Industry Workers”, established by the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of August 30, 1966, was celebrated on the third Sunday of October. In 1986, these two holidays were combined into a single one – “The Day of Workers in Agriculture and the Processing Industry of the Agro-Industrial Complex”, which began to be celebrated on the third Sunday of November. In 1988, it was combined with the “Day of the meliorator” into a single holiday .with the name “Day of workers of agriculture and processing industry”, which was also celebrated on the third Sunday of November. In 1999, the date of the celebration was moved to the second Sunday in October, and the word “workers” was replaced with “worker” in the title.
Russia has a significant share of the planet’s agricultural land – 4.5%.
In the country, as well as throughout the world, agricultural production is the largest life-supporting sphere of the national economic complex. Its condition and economic efficiency of functioning have a decisive influence on the level of food supply and the well-being of the people.
The agro-industrial complex (AIC) largely determines the state of the entire economy of the country, since it closely interacts with other sectors of the national economy.
Conducted in the country, since the early 1990s, without prior scientific study, agrarian reforms, mainly reduced to unregulated market liberalization, led to the collapse of the material and technical base of the agro-industrial complex and system technologies for conducting production, their primitivization, jeopardized the existence the main, non-renewable means of production – land, without which the functioning of this industry is generally impossible. The production of agricultural products has almost halved , and in the structure-forming industry – agriculture – by 40%, which limited the country’s ability to provide the population with food of its own production.
Since 1999, economic growth in agriculture began, which continued until 2006. During this time, the volume of agricultural production increased by 34.4%. But since 2002, there has been a trend towards a decrease in the pace of development of agriculture, their lagging behind the pace of development of the economy as a whole.
The slowdown in economic growth in agriculture, the lack of conditions for alternative employment in the countryside, the historically low level of development of social and engineering infrastructure have led to the aggravation of social problems in the countryside.
To overcome the crisis and bring the agro-industrial complex to sustainable development in 2006, the Federal Law “On the Development of Agriculture” was adopted. In pursuance of this law, the “State Program for the Development of Agriculture and the Regulation of Agricultural Markets for Agricultural Products, Raw Materials and Food” for 2008-2012 was adopted in 2007, in 2012 – the state program for 2013-2020 , and in 2019 – the state program for 2013-2025 .
Government measures aimed at stimulating agriculture have proven to be effective. The industry began to show growth, various forms of agricultural activity began to actively develop: not only large enterprises, but also small peasant farms.
Today, agriculture, the agro-industrial complex as a whole, is one of the most dynamic sectors of the Russian economy. Russia not only almost completely provides itself with all the main types of food products, but also annually increases deliveries abroad, develops global markets. The country has become a leading grain power and occupies a leading position in the world in the export of wheat.
The same positive trend is in animal husbandry , where the production of meat and dairy products is increasing year after year. Prospects for rapid growth are demonstrated by viticulture, horticulture, and organic production.
The agro-industrial complex, remaining faithful to the best domestic traditions, is actively introducing advanced technologies.
According to Deputy Prime Minister Victoria Abramchenko, despite the fact that throughout 2020 and 2021 the global economy was under great pressure associated with the spread of coronavirus infection, despite adverse weather conditions, the Russian agro-industrial complex continued to be one of the key drivers of the development of the Russian economy.
The agro-industrial complex, remaining faithful to the best domestic traditions, is actively introducing advanced technologies.
According to Deputy Prime Minister Victoria Abramchenko, despite the fact that throughout 2020 and 2021 the global economy was under great pressure associated with the spread of coronavirus infection, despite adverse weather conditions, the Russian agro-industrial complex continued to be one of the key drivers of the development of the Russian economy.
The index of agricultural production (in comparable prices) in farms of all categories in 2021 amounted to 99.1% compared to 2020, compared to 2017 – 104.6% (in 2020 -105.5% compared to 2017) . The decrease in 2021 is mainly due to a decrease in crop production due to adverse weather conditions, as well as a slowdown in the growth of livestock production due to the unfavorable epizootic situation at the beginning of 2021.
The index of crop production in farms of all categories amounted to 98.6% compared to the level of 2020, compared to the level of 2017 – 104.2%. The gross grain harvest amounted to 121.4 million tons, which is 9% lower than in 2020. Of these, 75.9 million tons of wheat in net weight, which is 11.6% lower than 2020 production. The gross harvest of the main oilseeds (sunflower, soybeans, rapeseed) for the first time amounted to 23.1 million tons, which is 14.3% more than the production in 2020 (20.2 million tons). Also, a record gross harvest of rapeseed was harvested – 2.8 million tons in net weight, which is 8.5% more than in 2020 (2.6 million tons), sunflower – 15.5 million tons in weight after completion (in 2020 year – 13.3 million tons). The gross harvest of fruits and berries in all categories of farms amounted to 3.9 million tons, which is 7% higher than in 2021.
The index of livestock production in 2021 amounted to 99.8% by 2020, compared to 2017 -104.8%. The production of livestock and poultry for slaughter (in live weight) in farms of all categories amounted to 15.68 million tons, which is 0.3% more than in 2020. Milk production in farms of all categories in 2021 increased by 0.2% (+63.1 thousand tons) compared to 2020 and amounted to 32,288.6 thousand tons.
The resulting harvest made it possible to meet most of the country’s domestic needs for food (for grain – 150.7%, for sugar – 100.0%, for vegetable oil – 176.6%, for meat and meat products – 100.2%, for fish and fish products – 153.2%), increase the export potential, and also make a significant contribution to ensuring the food independence of the country.
The development of agricultural production has breathed new life into rural areas: income from the sale of agricultural products returns to the village and stimulates the development of rural settlements. Across the country, new schools and kindergartens, medical centers and cultural centers are being built for rural residents, the housing stock, engineering and transport infrastructure are being updated, and jobs are being created. As a result, the Russian village is being transformedwhich is becoming more and more comfortable and attractive place to live.
The development of agricultural production has breathed new life into rural areas: income from the sale of agricultural products returns to the village and stimulates the development of rural settlements. Across the country, new schools and kindergartens, medical centers and cultural centers are being built for rural residents, the housing stock, engineering and transport infrastructure are being updated, and jobs are being created. As a result, the Russian village is being transformedwhich is becoming more and more comfortable and attractive place to live.
The material was prepared on the basis of information from Novosti and open sources