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Russian premier: Food security is priority

Russian population spends about one third of income on food

Dmitry Medvedev ITAR-TASS/Yekaterina Shtukina

Dmitry Medvedev

© ITAR-TASS/Yekaterina Shtukina

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MOSCOW, March 27. /ITAR-TASS/. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said creating conditions for domestic food production was a priority.

"We have to create conditions for quality foodstuffs production in our country, and their prices must be affordable," Medvedev told a government meeting which addressed the food security issue.

Russia has been implementing a food security doctrine since 2011. The population spends about one third of income on food, he reminded.

Medvedev noted that Russia had formed an effective system of state support of the agricultural sector in the past decade.

"I evaluate last year results as not bad at all. Agriculture production index made up 106.2%, while the crop farming index is still better at 112%. Production targets for grain, sugar, vegetable oil and potatoes have been exceeded," the premier said.

According to Medvedev the situation remains difficult in a number of segments of agriculture, such as dairy products. "Regrettably, dairy farms slashed output by more than 3% last year," he said.

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