Lukashenko: oil is not as profitable as agriculture
The agro-industrial complex enjoys an advantageous period these days, and the profitability of agriculture is higher than that of oil – as noted by the President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, after today’s ceremony of awarding doctor of science diplomas and professor certificates to scientific and scientific-pedagogical workers
Among the participants of the conversation was Yadviga Pilyuk – a Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, the Head of the Department of Oilseeds at the Belarusian NAS’ Scientific and Practical Centre for Agriculture. She has been awarded a professor's certificate in ‘Agronomy’ today. The scientist was once at the origins of breeding and creating highly productive varieties of rapeseed.
“We have not lagged behind the world, we are keeping pace with world production. The country has harvested almost 1m tonnes of rapeseed by now and, by 2025, more than a million tonnes is expected. This crop has a reserve, and it is likely to enjoy an increasing demand. In addition to oil, rapeseed is a source of protein, which is used for nutrition as well,” Ms. Pilyuk told the President.
As noted by the scientist, almost 400,000 hectares have been allocated for rapeseed in the country, and Belarus ranks 9th in global exports of this crop. The country’s gross income from rapeseed oil and protein sales makes around $1bn a year.
“I am grateful to you, Aleksandr Grigorievich, for your constant support of scientists and for ensuring food security,” the professor addressed the Head of State.
In turn, Aleksandr Lukashenko thanked the lady for her contribution to the development of Belarusian breeding, adding that he ‘strongly pressed scientists’ to more seriously focus on rapeseed cultivation. The Belarusian leader admitted that he personally consumes this product. “The demand for rapeseed oil and rapeseed is huge. We should harvest more than a million tonnes of rapeseed, since it can bring much profit,” the Head of State added.
According to the President, it is important to maintain the rapeseed-growing technology and increase crop yields; actually, the crop is profitable even despite not the highest yield.
Aleksandr Lukashenko believes it is now a good time for agrarians. “I was pressing the sphere of agriculture, and we generated $8.3bn last year [from agricultural exports]. Can you just imagine? Oil does not provide such profitability as agriculture does. Oil has actually dropped to the abysmal level. We sold $8.3bn of products, which had never been observed before,” he stressed, adding that this is an example when science has shown its effectiveness.
“This is what I am driving you to: develop new technologies, the ones that you need at present. People are starving in the world, and there are many of them. Three hundred million lack food, they need to be provided with it,” the President emphasised.
