On 13 October the Russian government generally approved the draft budget for the next three years proposed by the Ministry of Finance. Despite repeated promises to keep spending on the agricultural sector at the level of 2016, the Finance Ministry has proposed to cut funding for agriculture by more than 10 billion rubles. Market participants and analysts believe that it will postpone the implementation of the already started agricultural projects for an indefinite period until the complete freeze.

According to Alexander Shipulin, the budget cuts are absolutely impractical.

"I treat this negatively! In his most recent speeches and comments, the President stressed that agriculture is now the main drive to improve the economy in the country. Rising rates of productivity, in terms of gross collection of raw materials, implementation abroad and so on.
But we, working in the "lower classes", on the farm, see and feel that it is necessary to change agricultural policy to support small and medium-sized businesses. Namely, to support those people who directly live and work on earth. First and foremost, farm. Because since the beginning of the implementation of the national priority of development of agriculture, which began in 2006, it was there increased the number of dairy cattle and livestock in General. In personal subsidiary farms of the population, on the contrary, has decreased due to the fact that there was adequate financial support. While the farms at this time of 65-70 thousand jobs have increased, large enterprises for the same amount declined.
Therefore, the budget cut is impractical. It is necessary to maintain the growth rate of agricultural production. On the other hand, budgeting is necessary to consider the funding as a separate line of such programs, which supports small and medium businesses. This program "beginning farmer", "Family livestock farm", "Agricultural consumer cooperatives".
Now the Ministry of agriculture decided to reduce the indicators from 52 to 7. In these areas will go to subsidizing agriculture. And that applies to programs for small agricultural business, is transferred to the field. So, there will be distributed how and to whom the money will go. But we – our NCOs, our farm organization – from personal experience I know what will happen: had to go through one such initiative. Today, we are very concerned and see that the result of the reduction of funding to small businesses, but it is the most effective, you will lose a lot.
Therefore, I am categorically against the reduction. But my colleagues that this funding was on "good host". The budget should be spent efficiently and wisely. If such a policy, the total budget could actually be reduced. But this cannot be done indiscriminately, we are against small businesses funded by the "common pot".