OREANDA-NEWS. May 18, 2010. More attention should be paid to developing private household plots, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko told a government session held on 18 May to discuss the development of private household plots.

The head of state pointed out that the problem is of considerable economic, social and political importance. At least one third of the nation is engaged in personal subsidiary economy. Those are not only rural Belarusians but also people who live in towns and suburbs of major cities. The President remarked that they make an essential contribution to ensuring the national food security. Using slightly more than 11% of the farmland, the personal subsidiary economy provides around 30% of the gross output of the agricultural industry. Personal subsidiary economy provides environmentally sound products for those involved and supplies food to the market. The personal subsidiary economy raises the most labor-intensive crops – potatoes (88% of the total yield), vegetables (80%), fruits and berries (over 90%).

Alexander Lukashenko reminded that the personal subsidiary economy contributes to increasing real earnings and wellbeing of rural Belarusians, making an important addition for family budgets. According to the President, such subsidiary husbandry plays an important educational role. People, who are used to labor, catering for animals and gardening since their childhood, are less prone to abuse of alcohol and other negative phenomena, he said.

Alexander Lukashenko remarked that when he visits provinces, he often asks for reports about the state of things in this area, about how the local authorities care for people. The President always urges the local authorities to help people with gathering in crops, arranging purchases of their products, allocating lands and pastures. The matter has been repeatedly discussed by the national government, specific instructions have been given to the government and oblast governors, and a special program has been designed to develop private household plots in 2006-2010.

It is time to sum up the results of the program and the earlier issued instructions. “However, it is clearly obvious that there is nothing to boast about. In the last decade the output has been falling year after year, the cattle population is declining. The number of private household plots is declining, too. Since 2000 their number has dropped by 175,000 or 14%. The tendency is registered in all the oblasts of the country,” said the head of state.

Alexander Lukashenko said he cannot fully agree with those that attribute the decline to the objective reduction of the number of rural Belarusians, aging peasants, the unwillingness of young Belarusians to get involved in private household plots. The President said he is inclined to believe that the indifferent and devil-may-care attitudes of the local authorities to the people, who are engaged in the personal subsidiary economy, are the cause, considering the number of complaints about the lack of opportunities to raise cattle, lack of proper organization of milk purchases and other products. “People are ready to labor, spend their time on useful business but rural hard-working people, their farmsteads and the state as a whole suffer from our disgusting attitude,” said Alexander Lukashenko.

There are regions where executives understand the importance of the problem and support people but no concrete and effective measures are taken in most regions. “Virtually everything is allowed to run free. ‘They may live or may not, we cannot be held responsible for private farms.’ It won’t do!” said Alexander Lukashenko.

The President told participants of the session that the matter should be viewed more broadly. In his opinion, it is necessary to look at it as the handling of people’s complaints. He added that in the near future it will be discussed at a president-chaired session soon. The preparations have begun: in all regions the situation is monitored to reveal the real picture and to enable taking effective measures to address the existing problems.

Alexander Lukashenko said he expects participants of the session to come up with an objective evaluation of the situation as well as answers to whether it is necessary to continue developing private household plots, in what form they should exist and what should be done for it.