Agricultural organizations of the Altai Territory were able to sell 968.4 thousand tons of grain in January-May 2023. This is 33.8% more than in the same period last year, according to Altaikraistat.
Also, a significant increase is observed in the level of sales of seeds and fruits of oilseeds. Since the beginning of 2023, this figure has increased by 25.5% and amounted to 366.7 thousand tons (292.2 thousand tons in 2022). Of these, sunflower sales increased by 7.1% - up to 201.2 thousand tons.
In addition, sales of livestock and poultry increased by 22%, from 56,000 to 69,000 tons. This year, the region’s farmers sold 9.9% more potatoes than in 2022 (10,000 tons instead of 9.1). In particular, 8.5 thousand tons of vegetables were sold this year during the reporting period (an increase of 12.2%).
At the same time, agricultural enterprises managed to slightly increase milk sales by 4.8% - up to 232.7 thousand tons. For the same period last year, this figure amounted to 222.1 thousand tons. The fall is observed in only one category of agricultural products - eggs. In January-May 2023, their sales fell by 0.4% - from 384.7 to 383.2 million units.
In the meantime, as market experts point out, there is a significant drop in wheat prices in the region, and prices for other crops are also significantly “creeping” down. This is attributed to the large remnants of last year's harvest and low demand. At the same time, by the beginning of the next season, the carry-over volumes of grain in the region are estimated at about 2.5 million tons, which is twice as high as the comfortable level. Long-term storage of grain stocks and violations of logistics carry risks for farmers. In this regard, it is important for the Altai Territory to solve the problem with the release of elevator capacities. Also, the way out of this situation is to increase the volume of grain exports, experts say.
Recall that the owners of household plots and farmers also spoke about serious problems in the field of milk production, they consider the situation close to critical. Some processors are known to have bought milk at 2018-level prices. This led to a drop in the income of producers and a decrease in the profitability of dairy farming. As a result, the combination of these factors can lead to a reduction in livestock and an increase in the cost of final dairy products. Citizens have already recorded a video message asking the authorities to intervene in the situation.
It was also reported that the sown area in the Altai Territory for 2023 should be 5.4 million hectares. The regional governor Viktor Tomenko believes that this year's harvest will be rich again.
At the end of 2022, the harvest of grains and legumes in the region amounted to 5.948 million tons, which was more than the record result of 2021.
