The government has developed amendments to the agriculture development program, covering a number of issues, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin explained at a cabinet meeting. He noted that stricter control will be exercised over the transfer of the combined subsidy to agricultural producers at the local level. If farmers do not receive their funds by July 1 of this year, the funding limits in the region will be reduced by 10%. Most Russian regions are expected to allocate half of the funding, with the Far East not less than 20%. This measure is aimed at strengthening budget discipline.
It is also planned to simplify the subsidy application process. Currently, a whole package of documents is required, including documents on land use rights for agricultural purposes and the absence of arrears for land reclamation services, as well as information from the land registry for agricultural purposes. However, for agricultural insurance with government support, these requirements will be waived, and for other subsidy recipients, they will be suspended until January 1 of the following year. Simplifying the document preparation process is important, including through the use of digital solutions and interdepartmental document management, Mishustin noted.
As part of the adjustments, the conditions for granting grants for the development of family farms and the material-technical base of organizations, as well as for investment projects, will be clarified. To receive such assistance again, it will be necessary to confirm the retention of permanent jobs and an increase in production within five years from the previous grant. The grant terms for farmers in the Kursk, Bryansk, and Belgorod regions participating in these programs will be extended by six months for better fund utilization.
Changes will also be made to the conditions for receiving subsidies for the development of elite seed production. From January 1 of next year, subsidies will only be provided to those who use domestically bred seeds, mainly for planting cereals and oilseeds.
The government also intends to simplify the rules for fish farming organizations. Mishustin reminded that the President has repeatedly spoken about the need to improve business conditions to align with the best global practices, including for entrepreneurs engaged in fishing. One of the changes will involve requiring three payments within a specified period when signing a contract for the use of fishing grounds. Considering the large number of small and medium enterprises with low profitability in this sector, the government has decided to reduce the amount of the first two payments and spread them over four stages. Additionally, the payment term will be extended by a year. These changes will be available to existing companies without auctions for contract conclusion, emphasized the Prime Minister.
