How difficult is it to build your farm in the far East?
Michael Utrobin: When a year and a half ago I started doing it, it is still not understood, how many it is necessary to consider the provisions and regulations. A lot of barriers. For example, to obtain the right to sell products, I have to study it in the lab. Cost analysis of a product – milk or cheese can reach up to 12 thousand rubles, and must be repeated with a certain periodicity. Plus every month “smaller” analysis is more five thousand roubles. Plus veterinary check-UPS, verification on the market… I Have last year it took about 200 thousand rubles.
And as a result, these costs affect the price of the goods?
Michael Utrobin: it affects everything from the cost of hay. I have a liter of milk costs 120 rubles. When I say this to the farmers from the Western regions of Russia, they are outraged, they say that it is very expensive. I start to explain that we only roll in the hay costs 3.5 thousand rubles, and they don’t believe me. Photographed ads from the newspaper and showed to confirm. It is a great price, it’s three times cheaper.
I Now began to make pasteurized milk. That is, it used to be: milked the cow and sold the milk, explaining to buyers that it is raw, need to boil. Now need shop. This is an additional cost. However, I’ve been lucky, I found someone who produces ice cream, we began to work together. Due to this saved.
a Year ago was to declare their products. When passed “all circles of a hell”, received the first paper and realized that now we have to make a Declaration to the rest of the product, then wanted to quit and just buy ready-made paper. The Internet is full of such proposals. It’s cheaper than the official passing of the prescribed authorities. Almost one day draw a Protocol of all tests. But I value my reputation. So went through all the fair.
And those who are not officially registered, working “in the shadows” goes, do not value?
Michael Utrobin: I wouldn’t say that. Just some of the farmers have been for years. They have regular customers, generation in 10-20 years increased by their products. It does not matter whether this person document. He will not be able to get the right paper, because there is no sterile room, production line. But I think he has the right to trade. Because these products can be made even more clean hands than declared. Well, Yes, it is brewed at home, in a saucepan on a gas stove. But if the farmer will sell a bad product, family buyers that to him ten years go, just go. It’s such a self-regulating organism that now I want to make more ��pravilnym. Maybe do not touch it?
In December, I was in Korea and saw how they arranged street trade. Supervision is much weaker, anyone can open a restaurant and feed people. But if someone is poisoned, to meet the owner will be criminally. We farmers are also willing to take full responsibility for their products. And we don’t need officials who act as overseers. They communicate down: “And how you do it, and this?”. And on our requests the same answer: “You have to anticipate risks”. Moreover, when you started the operation, some risks had not even existed. Well, will not sustain a farmer and closes, then all will be closed. What are you going to do? To this will be good? Now there is a new generation officials who talk to you on equal terms. And we need real partners.
You’re talking about responsibility for their products. “Mercury,” QR codes help in its development or hinder?
Michael Utrobin: the actual system can be quite good. Take, for example, “mercury”. When it was introduced, we all clutching his head. Now understand it probably better than the creators. And he benefited. Already there were cases when it helped to identify fraud. Now we are introducing the mandatory labelling of products. Why are we still difficult to understand. Enter QR codes, say, shoes, is justified, there are no analogues of the type of “mercury”. And milk production this is a nightmare for farmers, who only understood the “mercury”. But we managed then, we will try to cope now.
What would you change in the attitude of the state to farming?
Michael Utrobin: approach to the system of benefits. For example, we have a huge businesses that benefit from preferences priority development areas and the ability to reduce social payments is almost four times. Why it is impossible for farmers to do the same? We also need special incentives. For example, the purchase of the same equipment for marking. Need subsidies. I’m not mad on, say, veterinary service for what I pay her so much money. But may be some subsidies.
We say that guys create cooperation. Larger, already risen to his feet, the farmer will take you have milk then process it on production lines, pack. But we want to develop farming, not to make people hostages in the hands of large cooperators, who will come and say, “Milk for 30 rubles, the most expensive will not take.” Hence, it is necessary to act otherwise. But in the current environment, any development is out of the question.
