Ayrat Khairullin: “It’s time to create an industry for the production of powdered infant formula”

Источник: The DairyNews
Russia may limit, through quotas, the import of infant formula, as well as ingredients for their production. Now in Russia, more than 90% of infant formula - breast milk substitutes - is supplied from the United States and the European Union, writes The DairyNews.

Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Gordeev instructed the Ministry of agriculture to work out this issue. Earlier, the Federation Council proposed to increase duties on the import of infant formula from 5% to 15%. This issue will also be considered by officials.

"I am positive about this, any country tries to provide itself with key types of food, including baby food", commented the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on agrarian issues Ayrat Khairullin.

He reminded that earlier, in the time of the Soviet Union, the country fully met the needs for all types of baby food. "This food was, of course, very simple, such as "Malyutka", but still a generation of children was very healthy, because everything was natural", - said the speaker.

Until the country buried its dairy farming in the 90s, the USSR produced more milk than the US, he remembers. And then there were no problems with natural milk additives.

"Remember, about 6-7 years ago there was a case in China when a manufacturer of food to increase protein level added a chemical element, and a very large number of children died. This is just such a case when there is a certain dependence, and there is a pursuit of profit...", - said the parliamentarian.

Ayrat Khairullin believes that today farmers in Russia have learned to produce high-quality milk. "Cow, goat, any milk that meets European quality standards, and, accordingly, today we have raw materials for the production of baby food of excellent quality. Moreover, almost all regions today have dairies that produce baby food. Here in Tatarstan, for example, Zelenodolsky dairy plant produces a lot of food, it was originally built as a baby food factory. And now it is time to create an industry for the production of powdered infant formula", - said the Deputy.

Any country, he says, creates conditions for the development of a particular industry. "For example, if we want to develop mechanical engineering in our country, we create such conditions that it is more profitable to produce machines in the country than to import them, so that the added value is formed in our country. When we created such conditions, we began to build factories in Russia instead of importing cars from abroad. Today Mercedes, BMW, and Toyota..., that is all large world producers of cars, have plants in the Russian Federation. And this is not an import", explains Ayrat Khairullin.

He noted that just six months ago, a number of large manufacturers with a world name for the production of quality baby food also spoke about the fact that soon there will come a time when it will be more profitable to produce baby food in Russia, and not to import it from abroad.

"I believe that time has come. And now special conditions will be created, but, accordingly, the customs policy that exists will also make production in our country profitable. In general, export subsidies and various perfectionist measures are very strong in the world. And all countries protect their domestic market, they try not to let products from other countries in under various pretexts, but at the same time they produce products for export to keep the added value for themselves, and this means both wages and taxes... So, the Russian Federation looked at all this and began to adapt to world practice. This is very correct", believes Ayrat Khairullin.

Answering the question whether this could somehow affect the increase in prices for baby food, the parliamentarian said that, on the contrary, it is about creating conditions for the production of excess high-quality infant formula in the Russian Federation.

"A huge surplus provides competition, and competition is the main driver of preventing price increases. Today we do everything to ensure that baby food is of higher quality and more affordable. Today, imported mixtures are very expensive, not everyone can afford to buy them.  Tell me, for example, is it correct to blame child, born in unsecured family compared to the child, who was born in secured family? Everyone is born the same. Children from the cradle, from the first days of life should receive quality food, quality care, quality medical service...Here in our country we need to do everything in order to make high-quality infant formula, from which children would not have allergy, using the experience that is available in the world", says Ayrat Khairullin.

Read more at © DairyNews.ru

30.01.2024
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