Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin signed a resolution approving the Rules for localizing the production of seeds of agricultural plants in the Russian Federation.
The document developed by the Ministry of Agriculture will significantly reduce the risk of losing competence in the field of selection and seed production of key crops, as well as overcome the technological dependence of domestic agricultural production on imports. The regulation comes into force on September 1, 2023.
The rules regulate, among other things, the joint activities of Russian organizations and organizations with the participation of foreign manufacturers. At the same time, the share of the latter in joint ventures should not exceed 49%.
When creating varieties and hybrids of agricultural plants, the criteria for seed localization are: the presence of at least two land plots located in different soil and climatic conditions, a nursery, a laboratory complex for molecular genetic research and reproduction, as well as a full cycle of crosses from the original own, collection and licensed Russian and foreign germplasm.
When growing seeds, three localization criteria are defined: the use of original and elite seeds created in Russia or transferred by foreign participants to Russian organizations or organizations with foreign participation, the availability of land plots, as well as production facilities in our country. Every year, before March 1, Russian organizations with foreign participation will have to submit to the Ministry of Agriculture a plan for organizing the localization of the production of seeds of agricultural plants that meets the specified criteria.
According to First Deputy Minister of Agriculture Oksana Lut, cooperation with foreign companies in the field of selection and seed production can only be built on mutually beneficial and transparent conditions that meet Russia’s interests in the field of food security. “The adoption of localization rules will significantly strengthen the position of Russian agricultural science and seed enterprises, and will also allow us to reliably protect the domestic market. At the same time, we are creating new opportunities for a fruitful partnership between domestic and foreign market participants, the qualitative development of international cooperation in this area. It should be noted that a number of major foreign players have already expressed their interest in developing joint projects in our country,” said Oksana Lut.
