Online meeting was held on cooperation in the field of agriculture between Astrakhan and Atyrau regions. The parties discussed the implementation of the agreements reached in February this year following the visit of a delegation headed by Deputy Akim of Atyrau region Marat Murziev to our region.
The dialogue was attended by: on the Astrakhan side – representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fishing Industry of Astrakhan region and the Ministry of External Relations of Astrakhan region, Federal control and supervisory agencies in the field of agriculture and regional budgetary institutions, on the Kazakh side - representatives of the Consulate General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Astrakhan, the Department of Agriculture and Land Relations of the Atyrau region, agricultural cooperatives, farmers.
A wide range of issues related to increasing export supplies of Astrakhan agricultural products to the Atyrau region.
"Our farmers recently started planting early potatoes, over 12 thousand hectares will be allocated for this crop, early harvest will begin in the second decade of June," Eldar Magomedaliev, head of the crop production department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fishing Industry of the Astrakhan region, informed Kazakh colleagues. – After that, in early July, we will start planting late potatoes. The harvest of root crops in the region amounted to 450 thousand tons in 2023, this year we plan not to reduce this figure. We are ready to increase the supply of vegetables and potatoes to the Atyrau region, share our experience of growing them."
First Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Astrakhan region Andrey Timofeev noted that the vegetable storages of the region have stocks of last year's harvest of onions and potatoes for sale in Kazakhstan.
"I request to inform us in advance about the timing and volume of purchases of vegetable products from Astrakhan farmers," he addressed his Atyrau colleagues. "We are ready to arrange its unhindered supply to your region."
Olga Petrova, head of the branch of the federal state budgetary institution "State Export Commission" for the Astrakhan region, spoke at the meeting about her willingness to share her experience with the Atyrau region in growing elite varieties of vegetables and applying mineral fertilizers.
The Atyrau side was greatly interested in the proposal of Viktor Shlyakhov, head of the branch of the federal state budgetary institution "Rosselkhoznadzor" in the Astrakhan region, to assist in the development of a program for the development of potato farming.
"We are ready, on the basis of contracts, to prepare a passport for each of your farms with an analysis of crop rotation, soil salinity, crop cultivation technologies and other parameters," he said. "We will also help you organize advanced training courses for your agro–industrial complex specialists in various full-time and part–time training programs, including potato farming."
An important topic of the meeting was the discussion of joint work in the field of livestock breeding. The parties agreed to assist each other in acquiring breeding stock of cattle and sheep.
Following the meeting, the parties exchanged contacts and agreed to continue working together in various areas.