Gov't reveals spending on fishing industry
Spending on the development of the resource potential of the fishing industry will amount to RUB 61.8bn (approx. USD 2.65bn) between 2009 and 2013, the government's press office told journalists on Saturday, citing the text of a related draft federal target program. It is expected that the federal budget will allocate RUB 32.4bn (approx. USD 1.39bn), and regional budgets will contribute RUB 340m (approx. USD 15m), RBC reports. The writers of the draft anticipate that the remaining RUB 29bn (approx. USD 1.24bn) will be raised from fish farmers' own funds and through bank loans.
The program foresees a considerable increase in the consumption of fish products by the Russian population, while the resource base is expected to improve, and the volume and processing depth of aquatic bioresources is set to rise on Russian territory. It is projected that by the time the program's implementation is complete, the export-import balance within the sector will increase 63 percent compared to 2006, while output and shipment volumes will rise across the board.