Farmers of the Astrakhan region employed almost 3 thousand people for seasonal agricultural work, about 2 thousand of them are residents of the region who were left without work during the pandemic, the Minister of Agriculture of the Astrakhan region Ruslan Pashayev told reporters.
In connection with the closure of borders, the agro-industrial complex of the Astrakhan region experienced an acute shortage of labor, which was previously compensated by foreign workers. The total demand for the period of seasonal work was estimated at 8,5 thousand people.
“More than 500 unemployed residents were employed and 1200 - who were not registered, but needed work. There are people employed from other regions: from Dagestan, Kalmykia, there are about 1000 of them, ”Pashayev said.
He added that most of the employed are rural residents who were left without work due to restrictive measures in the region amid the coronavirus epidemic. “A significant part is the contingent of tourist recreation centers closed due to restrictive measures. This is a rural population, they are used to field work, from there the maximum response, "Pashayev said.
Needs and solutions
Until the end of May, farmers will need about 3 thousand more people to work in the fields, by the time of the mass harvest - another 2,5 thousand people. After the end of fishing season in the Astrakhan region, the Minister of Agriculture of the region specified, the farmers expect to employ fishermen who have finished their activities on the water, which is about 6 thousand potential workers.
“Limansky district, for example, will cover the need for labor at the expense of them. We are also waiting for students. Now about 50 are working, but the holidays have not begun yet, ”said the head of the department.
Additional expenses
It is more difficult to find jobs for residents of the regional center, according to the head of the ministry, due to additional requests from potential employees who need to be delivered to the city every day.
“The logistics costs of the Astrakhanskiy agro-industrial complex from the Kharabalinsky region are XNUMX million rubles. Farmers are not ready to spend so much money on bringing workers home, ”Pashayev said.
Agriculture Sowing work in the Astrakhan region in 2020 due to a warm spring began 10 days earlier than planned, now the area under crops is 19 thousand hectares, which is 10% more than in the same period in 2019. According to the regional Ministry of Agriculture, the plan for planting early potatoes was fulfilled, the area under crops was 5 thousand hectares.
