As Aleksandr Rogozhnik reported, some positive changes have been recorded in the region’s agricultural industry. According to him, the construction of calf barns is nearly complete, with 68 out of 72 structures ready. On the back of these favorable results, a decision was made to increase their total number in the region to 96. Furthermore, Vitebsk Oblast has already stored up enough animal feed and completed the winter rapeseed sowing.

«The result is achievable,» Aleksandr Rogozhnik aid regarding the region’s development prospects.

A positive assessment on this matter also came from the head of state: «By mid-August, Vitebsk Oblast had sown all of its rapeseed — this has never happened before! Let’s wait and see the final result.»

Following the meeting, the head of Vitebsk Oblast talked to journalists and re-emphasized the emerging positive dynamics in the region’s agricultural industry. «The results are already there. We rank second in the country in terms of fodder conservation per head of cattle, we have built nearly all the planned calf barns, and we have sown 120% of our winter rapeseed target... And there are plenty of similar examples regarding livestock housing and milk yields. Therefore, the goal is fully achievable in Vitebsk Oblast as well. I would stop singling it out, because we are no worse than any other region,» Aleksandr Rogozhnik said.

The governor considers compliance with discipline to be the key to further successful development. «It all comes down to one thing — meeting deadlines, respecting technologies, and having a conscientious attitude toward work. Crops can be grown and harvested anywhere,» the head of the region believes. He pointed out that in countries like Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, thanks to people’s diligence, crops are harvested even in rocky terrain. «It is simply a matter of hard work and a conscientious attitude,» he said.

Regarding the draft decree discussed at the meeting and the proposed terms for transferring the agricultural organizations of Dubrovno District and the Vitebsky Bekon enterprise to the Servoluks group of companies, Aleksandr Rogozhnik explained that the new owner is bound by a number of commitments. These include settling the outstanding debt, making investments, and boosting production volumes.

According to him, similar decisions in the region had previously been made regarding the transfer of the Orsha Meat Canning Plant to the Agrokombinat Dzerzhinsky, and the Polotsk Dairy Plant to Savushkin Product.

«Our position is that efficient processing must automatically uplift agricultural enterprises — through timely payments for supplied raw materials and fair pricing for these goods. This is the core rationale behind our efforts to drive the development of this region,» Aleksandr Rogozhnik said.

When asked by journalists how willing investors are to develop supply bases and immerse themselves in agricultural management, the head of the region noted that «without the wise guidance from the president, nothing would have certainly materialized for investors in Vitebsk Oblast.»

«We have developed a formula with the investors that allows them to achieve rather good results as well,» he continued, explaining that this was precisely the basis for the proposals included in the new decree.

Following the meeting, the president instructed the State Control Committee, jointly with the President Administration and the Government, to additionally calculate the provisions defined by the decree in order to strike a balance between the interests of the state and the investor.

«When we speak about asset value, we must look at the value of liquid assets rather than bare numbers. Beyond the raw figures outlined in the draft decree, we must understand how much the investor assumes in commitments to repay previously accumulated debts and how much they are injecting in investments. Ultimately, our goal is an effective business and efficient operations,» Aleksandr Rogozhnik said. «You can only burden a business with as much as it can shoulder. Therefore, I believe that the provisions embedded in the draft decree are the most objective for both the investor’s operations and the interests of the state.»