Rossiiskaya Gazeta: “Miracle Field”
Vladimir Putin brings rain and promises of loans to the Orenburg steppes.
A veritable miracle occurred in the boundless fields of Orenburg Region on Tuesday: the 35 degree heat that had plagued the region since May and destroyed a third of its crops suddenly gave way to rain on the very day the Russian Prime Minister arrived.
Farmers, who are not easy to surprise, marveled at the sudden rainfall after three months of scorching sun. The rain did not last long, but it still brought bemused smiles to the farmers' faces. Some day ballads may be written about that day in Orenburg. "This rain doesn't make any difference," said Vladimir Radayev, chief of the Agriculture Department at one of the districts. The Orenburg area has not seen such climate changes since 1975. Local officials put drought related damages at 5 billion roubles.
The Prime Minister brought not only rain, but also important Government decisions on loans designed to make life easier for the farmers. "The existence of unpaid and extended credit lines need not be grounds for denying new credit," Vladimir Putin said.
"The bank is not interested in ruining anyone, said the Prime Minister who has learned a lot about the mentality of lenders since the crisis began. If the bank kills all the business around it, it will die itself in no time."
The Prime Minister met the heads of major farms in a tent in the middle of a field in Orenburg to tell them about the Government's latest decisions.
Loans to farms that grow only grain have been extended three years. Those farms which are also breeding livestock will have their loans extended 9 months instead of six as originally planned.
These farms will not start repaying their debts until 2011. "As regards the farms that have suffered from the drought, we will not leave anyone in the lurch, but we will not encourage a free ride either. Everybody must work," the Prime Minister said.
Crop losses due to drought in the European part of Russia may amount to 10-15 million tons this year. The regions are to submit reports on losses to the Agriculture Ministry before August 20, First Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov said. Annual production is expected to be 85-90 million tons. Last year Russia harvested 108 million tons, the biggest harvest since Soviet times. "Nature does not present such gifts twice," Vladimir Putin said somewhat apologetically. He was apologizing for nature, of course. Even so, the fickle weather will not prevent the Government from going ahead with its plan to sell 23 million tons of grain abroad. "Not so long ago we were only buying grain," Vladimir Putin noted.
Meanwhile, addressing the meeting on the progress of harvesting, the Prime Minister told the Finance Ministry to consider extending 100-billion roubles in credit to the regions to deal with the consequences of the drought.
At the same time the Prime Minister said that the Government would review the legitimacy of the farmers' petitions for aid.
"Control will be strict," Vladimir Putin warned those present.
He said that "aid should reach specific producers and budget money should be used with the utmost efficiency."
"But what I like is that you are not losing heart," the Prime Minister said expecting a cheerful response.
"Yes. We are in a high-risk farming zone, but are holding out," the farmers murmured.
Pier Sidibe
