ANRSK – 25 years in the seed market of vegetable crops. Who and how should form a transparent and civilized market for vegetable seeds in Russia

Vegetables are a valuable source of fiber, vitamins, minerals and useful natural organic compounds that support human health and contribute to the prevention of a large number of chronic diseases. The vegetable crop breeding and seed industry plays a crucial role in food production and the implementation of the points of the Food Security Doctrine of the Russian Federation (hereinafter, the Food Security Doctrine), approved by Presidential Decree No20 of January 21, 2020, since the sustainable production of a variety of products of this category creates the basis for a healthy diet. At the same time, the current situation of vegetable crop breeding and seed production in the country, especially in the light of the implementation of the government import substitution program, is assessed by trade unions and farmers as very difficult. A good example that can show the real picture in the industry: over the past 10 years, the situation with the production of domestic vegetable seeds in the territory of the Russian Federation has deteriorated sharply. Their number has decreased from 7.0 to 1.5 thousand tons per year. Today in the Russian Federation, 75 foreign companies are actively working on the market of vegetable seeds, whose seeds occupy 80% of the acreage in commercial vegetable growing. We even have imported seeds of parsley, dill and salads. Whereas the Doctrine of food security provides for the share of seeds of domestic selection of at least 75%. In general, the volume of the domestic market of agricultural seeds for each spring is about 140 billion rubles, 80% of which goes directly to pay for «services' to Europe, the United States and other unfriendly states.

Key words: AIRSC, vegetable crops, breeding and seed production, market and production development, regulatory and legislative acts.