Russia: New Program to Develop Domestic Seeds and Genetics
A new Federal Scientific and Technical Program for Agricultural Development in 2017-2025 was adopted via Russian Government decree No. 996 on August 25, 2017. The Government believes the Program should help decrease Russia’s dependence on imports of technologies, seeds, diagnostic and plant protection products, medicines for veterinary use, and other resources. The Program foresees financing from the federal budget of 26.1 billion rubles ($438 million) until 2025 to be redistributed from five existing state programs in agriculture, industry, science and technology. The other 25 billion rubles ($419 million) are to be provided by provincial budgets and non-budget sources. The Program’s efficiency will be assessed on the basis of its target indicators and goals such as increased investment in agriculture, growing production of new domestic seed varieties, livestock genetics, feeds and feed additives, etc.
