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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: My dear friends,

I’d like to congratulate all workers and veterans of agriculture and the processing industry on their professional day. First of all, I’d like to thank you for your work, and wish success and well-being to you and your families and friends.

Agriculture, a key sector of the Russian economy, is showing convincing, strong results year in and year out. Thus, this year we expect a record harvest of grain – about 150 million tonnes, including some 100 million tonnes of wheat. These figures seemed difficult to reach only recently. Indicators on other crops, such as sugar beets, soya beans and sunflowers, are also good. Livestock production is also on the rise.

We are fully meeting the domestic demand for basic, essential products and providing reliable food security. Moreover, we are building up our export potential, and – I’d like to emphasise this – we are ready to make our contribution to overcoming global food challenges and provide the necessary assistance to the poorest, developing nations.

All this is a direct result of your efforts, the difficult but very important and responsible work you are doing as agriculture and processing industry workers.

Work under unprecedented sanctions pressure poses new challenges to the agriculture sector. We will be addressing them jointly, with the support of the state, using the imposed restrictions for our own development.

We need to upgrade technological sovereignty in agriculture. Hence, we must enhance our potential in selection, genetics and seed breeding, encourage a transition to modern domestic equipment and technology, and create the conditions for further inflow of investment. The Government endorsed the updated sectoral strategy that includes these tasks quite recently, in September.

Improving the living standards in rural areas is, of course, a key priority. This means the construction of new modern houses and further development of the rural mortgage programme. This also means modernisation of the social, utilities and transport infrastructure and comprehensive improvement of rural areas. In a word, this concerns everything that matters for people.

I would like to thank you again – veterans and workers of agriculture and the processing industry – for your professionalism, responsibility, your assiduous approach, sincere love of your job and native land, and your striving to revive and multiply the best domestic agrarian traditions.

Happy holiday to you! I wish you luck, good health and well-being.