Belarusian President calls for more targeted approach to agricultural subsidies
13.08.2026
MINSK (
BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko suggested developing a more targeted approach to distributing agricultural subsidies during his working visit to Minsk Oblast on 13 August, BelTA has learned.
The president noted that the state provides extensive support to the agricultural industry, offering various benefits and assisting with the purchase of mineral fertilizers, fuel, machinery, and other essential inputs. The head of state suggested thinking seriously about when it is genuinely necessary to allocate budget funds and when it is not. “We just keep subsidizing everything from the budget. We need to think seriously about our agricultural industry so that we don’t pay money for every single little thing. This is a business,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized.
The president suggested finding a more targeted approach to distributing agricultural subsidies, emphasizing that the invested money must yield an appropriate return. At the same time, there is no question of completely abandoning subsidies. “In some areas, we must provide help, otherwise it will be like in Western Europe: they stopped providing support, and agriculture collapsed,” he added.
The field visited by the head of state belongs to the Zdanovichi agricultural enterprise in Minsk District. Aleksandr Lukashenko inquired in detail about the state of affairs with the enterprise’s head, Grigory Chuiko. According to him, while the farm has enough land, “the city is still encroaching.” In this regard, the president raised the issue of the impermissibility of residential development on agricultural land once again. “We need to densify and build in empty spaces, on small pockets of land. Inside Minsk – by all means, there are plenty of places where we are building,” he emphasized.
The president noted that the state provides extensive support to the agricultural industry, offering various benefits and assisting with the purchase of mineral fertilizers, fuel, machinery, and other essential inputs. The head of state suggested thinking seriously about when it is genuinely necessary to allocate budget funds and when it is not. “We just keep subsidizing everything from the budget. We need to think seriously about our agricultural industry so that we don’t pay money for every single little thing. This is a business,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized.
The president suggested finding a more targeted approach to distributing agricultural subsidies, emphasizing that the invested money must yield an appropriate return. At the same time, there is no question of completely abandoning subsidies. “In some areas, we must provide help, otherwise it will be like in Western Europe: they stopped providing support, and agriculture collapsed,” he added.
The field visited by the head of state belongs to the Zdanovichi agricultural enterprise in Minsk District. Aleksandr Lukashenko inquired in detail about the state of affairs with the enterprise’s head, Grigory Chuiko. According to him, while the farm has enough land, “the city is still encroaching.” In this regard, the president raised the issue of the impermissibility of residential development on agricultural land once again. “We need to densify and build in empty spaces, on small pockets of land. Inside Minsk – by all means, there are plenty of places where we are building,” he emphasized.