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Russia to produce enough pork for domestic market in 2 years

Within the period of two years Russia will boost its production of pork to feed the domestic market

BARNAUL, February 24 (Itar-Tass) — Within the period of two years Russia will boost its production of pork to feed the domestic market, Russian Minister of Agriculture Yelena Skrynnik said on Friday.

The minister said that by 2020, the country will also be producing enough milk and beef to meet the domestic requirement. At talks with the agricultural producers of Siberia, the minister also discussed promising directions in the new state program designed for the period from 2013 to 2020.

Skrynnik put emphasis on support for small businesses in the Altai region. In particular, she noted that starting from this year the region participates in the program for the development of family farms. Support from the federal budget will make up 34 million roubles, and another 20 million roubles will be received from the regional budget.

The minister also focused on the issue of Russia’s accession to WTO, marking that the government takes a set of measures to adapt the Russian agro-industrial complex to the terms of the World Trade Organization. Talks continued for 18 years in order to ensure maximally advantageous terms, she noted. “Now we can say that for the agro-industrial complex the terms are really among the best on which countries have joined that organization,” the minister stressed.

“WTO membership will not affect the implementation of measures scheduled within the framework of the state program and the settlement of tasks fixed in the Food Security Doctrine. The World Trade Organization will become an additional impetus for attracting new strategic investors in the sector as well as for increasing exports of the Russian agricultural products,” Skrynnik emphasized.

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

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