“It is necessary to form a state reserve of agricultural products, raw materials and food in case of emergencies, be it bad weather or poor harvest,” the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Ulukbek Maripov has said at a meeting on stabilization of food prices.
According to him, the situation with coronavirus infection is stabilizing, but the Cabinet of Ministers must always be ready for the worst-case scenario, it is necessary to look a few steps ahead. The head of the Cabinet stressed that it was necessary to develop such a direction as forecasting, including of global markets.
Ulukbek Maripov also noted that work on stabilization of prices for socially significant products was being carried out on an ongoing basis. Special attention is paid to the issues of ensuring food security.
To create food reserves, 1.5 billion soms were allocated from the state budget for the purchase of wheat and over 300 million soms – for the purchase of vegetable oil and granulated sugar.
It was decided to exempt imports of grain and flour from VAT for a year. An agreement was signed on duty-free import of white sugar and sugar cane from third countries. The import of farm animals is exempt from VAT until December 31. In addition, a ban was imposed on the export of certain types of agricultural products (wheat, rice, wheat flour, vegetable oil, granulated sugar and chicken eggs).
“Negotiations are underway with Russia to increase the volume of supplied motor gasoline without paying export duties. There is a sufficient supply of duty-free diesel fuel. The work in these areas is being carried out in a comprehensive manner, the state bodies are monitoring the situation. The rise in food prices is observed all over the world, as the republic dependent on imports, we feel every price fluctuation in the neighboring countries. Our main task is the stable passage of the autumn-winter period, providing the population in full with all the necessary food products, livestock breeders – with fodder, agricultural producers – with seeds, fuels and lubricants. To date, there is sufficient volume of food supplies, the situation on ensuring food security is under control,” Ulukbek Maripov said.
He added that a lot of work was to be done to create conditions for the complete self-sufficiency of the country in the main types of agricultural products and to increase their economic accessibility for the population. (24.kg/Business World Magazine)
