According to Picquet, Russia possesses large areas of arable land, while agricultural companies enjoy the support of the state authorities. In the long run, these two conditions can make Russia the largest exporting country of agricultural goods in the world, the entrepreneur stated.
"I think that Russia has great potential to become the largest supplier of agricultural crops in the world. Of course, this is not an easy path, but I guess that in the long term, Russia might be viewed as the exporting country of "green oil," Picquet said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
Import substitution policy and investments
Commenting on the import substitution policy of the Russian authorities, Pique mentioned that such a strategy could be a good incentive for the development of the agro-industrial complex.
"Russia has a sufficient potential, its agricultural products can compete in the world market. Russia is already one of the leading exporters of wheat in the world, and Russia's other agricultural products, such as sunflower oil, are also represented in the global market," he said.
At the same time, Picquet said that there are some important sectors which require improvements, including the production of diary and meet goods, as well as fruits and vegetables.
The expert mentioned that Russia would need a balanced state strategy and significant investments to increase productivity in the agricultural field.
Ruble, administrative barriers and lack of staff
In his interview, Picquet also stressed several factors that hinder the development of Russian agriculture. One of them is the instability of the Russian economy and the weakening of the ruble.
"Russian farmers face a lack of adequate financial compensation for rising prices on fuel and energy resources as well as lack of or late access to innovative solutions in agriculture. However, it is important to understand that the government has already done much to support the farmers, and we believe that this work will be continued, " Picquet said.
Global trends in agriculture
Commenting on the development of agriculture globally, Picquet pointed out that the worldwide demand for food grows every year. According to him, about 40% of arable land is currently being used for the production of basic food products, while the rest is being used for fodder cultivation.
"By 2025, this situation may change dramatically: from 8 to 12% of the world's farmland will be used for the cultivation of fodder for domestic animals, about 30% will be allocated to renewable resources, another 30% will be used for the production of basic food, and the remaining land — for the growing of feed farm animals, " Piquet said.
Another precondition for the development of agricultural sector might be hunger and unstable weather conditions in many regions of the world.
"For example, changes in weather conditions affect crop yields in many regions. An increase in the average temperature by one degree Celsius reduces rice yields by about 322 kilograms per hectare," the expert said.
Pique also mentioned another global trend, namely changes in the diets of the majority of the population and the shift to the consumption of proteins, vegetables and fruits.
In this regard, the expert suggested that Russia should reconsider its paradigm of agricultural development and start to use innovative approaches, including the production of genetically modified food. According to him, it would minimize the impact of agriculture on the environment and contribute to a more rational use of arable land areas.
