Alexey Ostrovsky: Smolensk Region Expects a 48-fold Increase in Profitability of the Flax Growing Industry By 2030

The Smolensk Region intends to reach a 48-fold increase in profitability of the flax-growing industry by 2030 to receive 9 bln. roubles of revenue. This was reported by Governor Alexey Ostrovsky during the first All-Russian Flax Field Day, which was held in the Pochinok District of the Smolensk Region.

“Today the Smolensk Region forms a key venue for developing the flax-growing industry within the Russian Federation, for this reason we have posed a challenge to regain the leading position of the Smolensk Region in producing and exporting the linen products. Flax is a promising export crop, thus we have all the drivers needed to ensure the 48-fold increase in profitability of the flax-growing industry within the region by 2030 and to receive 9 bln. roubles of revenue from selling the flax-based products, amounting to 30% of the total volume of the manufactured agriproducts,” he said. 

It should be recalled that in the Soviet times the Smolensk Region used to manufacture 10% of the whole amount of flax fibre in the country, but by 2011 the flax growing industry has fallen to decay within the region. Since that time the government have started supporting the industry by investing about 300 mln. roubles of moneyed assistance therein and raised nearly 1 bln. roubles of investments. By now the total area under flax is nearly 5 ths. ha, by 2020 this amount is to be increased up to 20 ths. ha.