23 may 2012

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev visits Kotlyakovo livestock farm during his visit to the Bryansk Region

Participants:

Kotlyakovo farm is part of one of Russia's leading agricultural holding companies, Miratorg, which is currently implementing the country's largest investment projects in Bryansk to produce high quality beef.

The prime minister was given a demonstration of the farm machinery used at Miratorg. The company's executives noted that leading international farm equipment producers are showing an interest in the Russian market and are opening semi-knock down businesses here. The prime minister said he supported a business arrangement in which most components are also produced locally. "It's good to see Americans biting their nails as they look at our market," he said.

After taking a look at the way the farm and the holding company work, Dmitry Medvedev praised the idea of a large agricultural company like this, saying that this kind of format has a bright future. According to his figures, Russia will need around 10 large companies to saturate the domestic market with beef and to eventually start exporting it.

The prime minister examined the transport monitoring system used at Miratorg, which prevents truck drivers from selling off their fuel. The computer-based system enables the operator to receive real-time information on each company vehicle, their routes and the freight they carry. The system also monitors the company's land and farm equipment working there.

Medvedev then visited the company's veterinary post where he watched the operators filing out the animals' accounts online. The prime minister, who recently picked up how to edit photos in an iPhone application, took a picture of a veterinary checkup and promised to post the impressions of his trip on Twitter.

The prime minister asked the Bryansk regional leaders and Miratorg executives about their cooperation with the country's leading financial institutions, such as Rosselkhozbank and Vnesheconombank (VEB). He promised the regional governor he would discuss the possibility of involving VEB in an environmental project, Green Energy, which is being implemented in the region. The project is aimed at using the power and heat, which is obtained as byproducts from processing industrial and household waste, for agricultural needs.