President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko continued a series of regional trips on agricultural topics.

On August 16, the Head of State visited the Scientific and Practical Center for Agriculture of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, where he got acquainted with the breeding and seed complex, breeding fields for breeding varieties of wheat and leguminous crops, visited the production site of the scientific and practical center for finalizing seed material. As the Head of State was assured, domestic scientists know how to produce seeds no worse than in the best organizations abroad.

Alexander Lukashenko noted that for a high harvest, it is important to strictly observe the technologies, and in some places this is still not done, including because of the negligent attitude towards the results of the common labor. He noticed that farmers have a different attitude towards their grain. «We need a dictatorship. And we have it - let's turn it on, - the President figuratively put it. - Let's turn on the administrative resource and force it to do the right thing. It's time to start really working».

On the sidelines of the Scientific and Practical Center, the conversation first turned to the cultivation of legumes. For example, lupine is a crop rich in protein, which is essential in the composition of the animal feed. Alexander Lukashenko asked scientists and officials in detail about the work and prospects in this direction. Moreover, it is also a question of the import substitution. Another forage crop is alfalfa. The Head of state was also informed in detail about its cultivation and use.But soybean is practically not cultivated in Belarus, but its farmers do not discount it either. Alexander Lukashenko listened attentively to the reports on the advantages of these and other crops, instructing him to test the voiced approaches in practice in the presidential experimental fields next year.

Alexander Lukashenko asked the scientists how promising it is to expand the sunflower crops in Belarus. After all, this issue concerns import substitution: Belarus imports sunflower oil. Alexander Lukashenko instructed to test the sunflower crops on the experimental presidential fields in order to finally decide. At one time in Belarus they began to grow winter crops in a similar way. Soon, this crop showed a good yield, and the experience was extended to the whole country. The cultivation, as Alexander Lukashenko often says, of the «political» crop, flax, was also discussed in detail.

The Head of state got acquainted with the breeding fields for breeding varieties of wheat and leguminous crops, visited the production site of the scientific and practical center for the refinement of seed material.