Belarusian agriculture plays an important role in the country's economy. This industry is expanding every year and is gaining momentum in production. About 10% of the total population of the country is involved in agriculture.
Features of industry structuring
In Belarus, there is no land in private ownership. All agriculture is based on the work of state farms and collective farms. Such a system has been going on since the days of the USSR. Despite the sufficient age of the structure, it brings good results. The country practically does not purchase basic vegetables and grains in other countries.
Residents of Belarus are fully provided with their own meat and milk. Almost all products remain in the country, and only a small part goes to import. The government invests a lot of money in agriculture. This is done for its development and prosperity. Finances are spent on the purchase of new machinery and equipment.
In 2005, a program for the development of the village and its revival came into force. The state allocates subsidies that should go towards the arrangement of territories and the involvement of young people in them. In the settlements, kindergartens are being rebuilt, the educational base in schools is improving, and new jobs are being opened. Thus, new young people are attracted to the village and the industry is developing.
A temperate climate makes it possible to grow plants and breed animals throughout the country. In the southern parts, the cultivation of berries and fruits predominates.
Plant growing
Agriculture of the Republic of Belarus is aimed at growing crops that are specific to the latitudes of the country. The area under arable land occupies more than 8.5 million hectares. The advantage is given to growing crops and vegetables.
In recent years, the country's government has been actively promoting the cultivation of Pancake week and bean plant species. Belarus agriculture is famous in Europe for growing flax. About 20% of the world's crops of this crop are concentrated in the country.
Still, the most popular is the cultivation of cereals:
- rye;
- wheat;
- barley;
- corn;
- oats.
A new variety of triticale is actively grown in the country. This crop combines rye and wheat. Triticale is more used as fodder. Belarus’s agriculture is the second largest cultivator of this type of grain in the world.
The country pays great attention to the development of vegetable growing. Residents of Belarus are fully provided with their potatoes. Crop annually in the country is increasing. Potatoes are often imported.
Meat production
Cattle breeding remains a priority for the country's economy. Unlike other post-Soviet states, the number of livestock in Belarus is increasing by 5-10% every year. Thus, the inhabitants of the country are fully provided with meat products of good quality.
Most of the meat products on the shelves of the store are made from natural raw materials of our own production. This type of industry is 100% provided with our own products.
The country gives priority to trade in goods of its own production, and this is controlled at the state level. Only a small portion of meat products are imported from other countries. Basically, these are specific types of meat characteristic of the countries where it is produced.
Dairy and beekeeping
The Ministry of Agriculture of Belarus places particular emphasis on raising cattle for milk. The country is provided with this product 100% from its own production.
Also in the country, the purchase of milk from the private population has been established. Thus, the state supports the raising of cows by the population in the villages. Milk processing plants use the dry ingredient only in exceptional cases.
Beekeeping is mainly carried out by private individuals. In connection with the country's rural development program, many small farmers are involved in this sector of agriculture. Honey produced in Belarus is in great demand in other countries.
Problems of agricultural development in Belarus
Despite the fast pace of productivity improvement, there are problems in this sector of the economy that impede this process. First of all, this is a shortage in the material base of farms. The authorities make substantial investments in the development of agriculture, but given that all equipment is outdated, this money is not enough.
Some farmers argue that a significant obstacle to the rapid economic growth of the industry is the lack of land in private ownership. Individual farmers, in their opinion, would be able to quickly develop their farms and acquired equipment at their own expense.
Since 2013, the level of development of collective farms has been rapidly declining. The state allocated about $ 40 billion in 2011 to support and develop the industry. This amount greatly facilitated the life of households, but was not able to fully compensate for the losses. In 2017, the minimum amount was allocated for the development of the industry.