BISHKEK (TCA) — On January 19, some members of Kyrgyzstan’s parliament said that the Government’s work to develop agriculture was unsatisfactory. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Industry and Reclamation of Kyrgyzstan, 11 new processing enterprises opened in the regions in 2017, but this is not enough. Farmers had to export fresh fruits and vegetables to neighboring countries for a pittance and then Kyrgyzstan imported canned products that are much more expensive, the MPs said. Local farmers have asked MPs to help them open mini-processing enterprises. The Agriculture Ministry is working with its own programs while local authorities have their own ones, and they are not coordinated, the MPs concluded. In addition, the lending terms are not beneficial for farmers. Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK) parliamentary faction Isa Omurkulov believes that there is no hope for the officials who have done nothing for the agriculture sector development. The ministry employs about five thousand people with a 1.2 billion soms annual salary fund but there are no results of their work, because the agrarian sector is in decline. “Why do we need such a ministry?” he asked. Kyrgyzstan cannot provide itself with basic foods and this leads to high import dependence. Currently, the country fully provides itself with three basic products — potatoes, vegetables and fruit, and milk and dairy products, the Agriculture Ministry said. Food supply for the domestic market of Kyrgyzstan is among the problems of national economic security. Government’s position Later on January 19, Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Sapar Isakov commented on the criticism of the Agriculture Ministry by the SDPK parliamentary faction. Reforms have already begun in the Ministry and in the agrarian sector, Isakov said. The reforms provide for revising the Ministry’s functions within the Taza Koom (Clean Society) Government’s program and improving conditions for farmers, including strengthening the export potential, increasing the competitiveness of local producers and their entry into new markets, as well as creating effective agricultural cooperatives, the Prime Minister said. After a thorough analysis, the state apparatus will be reduced, including in the Ministry of Agriculture, he added. According to Isakov, the Government is currently working to attract investments in the agricultural sector, including the construction of logistics hubs and veterinary and phytosanitary laboratories. Four veterinary laboratories have already been built in the country and 12 laboratories reconstructed. However, many of the problems voiced by the parliament deputies do indeed take place, Isakov added. There are shortcomings in the agricultural sector development which have been accumulated over the years. “The Government is open to proposals from the deputies to improve the work of the relevant state bodies and is ready to hold consultations with interested parties. We would like to get specific proposals in this regard," Isakov concluded. More rights needed The Agriculture Ministry is often criticized for its incompetence and untimely adoption of important decisions. The ministry is now busy with gathering information from the fields, drawing up all kinds of reports, and drafting useless programs....
