September 9, a meeting of the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Food Policy took place. Parliamentarians considered the main issue on the agenda, the implementation of long-term target program “Development of horse breeding and equestrian sport in the Republic of Tatarstan for 2013 – 2015 years, and for the planning period up to 2020”.

Committee Chairman Takhir Khadeev drew attention of the deputies to the fact that breeding in Tatarstan has always been a priority. “Historically, equestrian sports and horse breeding are part of Tatar national culture and traditions. In Soviet times, horse farms of the republic competed successfully with leading equestrian factories in the country and had a positive experience of participation in international competitions. Recently, however, this position of Tatarstan has been significantly lost. During 1990 – 2015 years, the number of horses in all categories of farms of the republic decreased by 2.6 times, from 77.9 thous. heads to 29.6 thous. heads, “- he said.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Tatarstan Nazip Khazipov briefed committee members on the status and prospects of horse breeding in the republic on measures of state support in the livestock industry.

According to Nazip Khazipov, January 1, 2015, agricultural enterprises and peasant farms had 18.9 thous. heads of horses, personal farmsteads – 10.8 thous. heads. The Republic of Tatarstan allocated on the development of horse breeding the following types of state support: reimbursement of the cost of buying pedigree horses; reimbursement of expenses for the maintenance of breeding horses Thoroughbred breed; reimbursement of expenses for acquisition of shire for government stables; reimbursement of the cost of training and testing of pedigree horses Thoroughbred breed and trotters; reimbursement of expenses for the acquisition of stallion semen. By 2015, the Republican program of construction (reconstruction) family livestock farms in direction of support for horse breeding 23 farmers have received by the Federal Program “Development of family-based livestock farms (peasant) farms in the Republic of Tatarstan for 2015-2017” – 24 farmers on Federal program “Support of beginning farmers’ grants received 12 farmers.

The Deputy Minister noted that in the future breeding of the republic will develop in four main areas: breeding (with the main task of growing high-value offspring ), workers’ and of utilitarian (effective and efficient use of working horses); productive (production of meat, milk and other products); sports (training of high-record horses, and horses for children’s equestrian clubs, traditional folk festivals and games).

Speeches by director of Kazan hippodrome Sergei Vasilenko, dean of the Faculty of Food Engineering KNITU Mstislav Polivanov, a farmer from the Novosheshminsky region Nikolai Skokov and others proposals were voiced to increase the efficiency of horse breeding, popularization of equestrian sport and increase profitability in the agriculture sector.

PR Department State Council of Tatarstan