Talking with workers at the Nikolayevskaya agricultural enterprise, the President spoke in favour of effective but selective support for the Russian agricultural sector. Mr Putin said that support should go above all to businesses that are competitive. The President sought the views of the farmers taking part in the meeting on possibilities for modernising agriculture, reducing the number of loss-making businesses and increasing production.
Mr Putin also noted that the question of protecting the Russian agricultural sector must be resolved in a way that would not be to the detriment of other economic sectors.