"Given the current difficult economic situation in connection with the devaluation of the ruble and the spread of coronavirus, the Association has sent an official letter to the Ministry of agriculture to provide additional support to the growers of greenhouse vegetables and mushrooms. Unfortunately, the Government found no justification for the inclusion of agriculture in the list of industries affected by the epidemic covid-19. However, we will continue to engage in dialogue, which I'm sure, in the end, will give a positive for the industry results," - said Alexey Sitnikov.

According to him, despite the fact that until now, the greenhouse industry has coped with the crisis caused by the pandemic on their own, government support to companies in dire need.

"Epidemic and the current difficulties in the economy have an impact on the operation of greenhouse enterprises, and we note the decline in revenues this year. It was affected by including low purchasing power, the current due to mode isolation. Profits are falling, thus to stop the production cycle in the greenhouses or reduce the volume of production impossible. This has a negative impact on the economy of greenhouse and hothouse enterprises makes business unprofitable. Additional measures of state support particularly necessary in the industry to prevent bankruptcy of the greenhouse and mushroom production enterprises", - says Sitnikov.

He stressed that assistance vegetable enterprises guarantee an uninterrupted supply of fresh vegetables in the shops, which is especially important for the health of people in this difficult period.

Among the additional measures of state support of the greenhouse industry Association highlighted the need for compensation of up to 50% electricity costs for the greenhouse plants. According to Sitnikova, the most difficult period of the pandemic caused the transaction associated with electricity bills.

"I want to note that winter months are the months when expenses far exceed income, and April-may are traditionally the months when there is the opportunity to offset winter expenses due to the sale of products at rather high seasonal prices. Today the epidemic, to the full extent of the enterprise can not compensate for winter expenses. In this regard, and the impossibility of freezing the technological process there are difficulties in cooperation with Energo - and gas supply organizations. In this regard, we believe it is necessary to carry out the President's order in terms of lowering electricity tariffs for agricultural producers by providing partial compensation of cost of electricity for greenhouse complexes", - stressed the President of the Association "Greenhouses of Russia".

The Association noted that despite the economic difficulties businesses operate to the highest possible score and complete the tasks assigned by the Ministry of agriculture.

"Enterprises reach their design capacity and the tasks that we set jointly with the Ministry of agriculture to achieve import substitution and growth in production volumes systematically implemented even in the current uncertain situation," he said.

In an official address to the Russian Ministry of agriculture, the Association requested to consider providing public support for the greenhouse industry in the form:

• The introduction of a moratorium on the payment of principal and interest on investment loans.
• The lower premiums from the wages of employees of enterprises protected ground.
• Providing a disjointed support greenhouse and mushroom production complexes per unit area of cultivation or per kg of output.
• Extension of preferential investment loans for the establishment of mushroom production complexes to 12 years.
• Reimbursement of the capital expenditure for greenhouse and mushroom production complexes put into operation before 2020.
• Compensation up to 50% electricity costs for the greenhouse plants engaged in the production of vegetables using the technology of supplementary lighting plants,
• The introduction of increased customs duties on certain types of imported vegetable products which are produced by domestic enterprises of the protected ground.
• The limitation of the margins of trade networks for the products of enterprises of the protected ground (greenhouse vegetables and mushrooms).

The Association "Greenhouses of Russia" - noncommercial Association of the greenhouse farms and the related industries. The Association consists of 242 enterprises, including 127 greenhouses. The main activities of the Association is to represent and protect the interests of the greenhouse plants in the government organs and departments of the Russian Federation, the study and implementation of achievements of scientific-technical progress at the enterprises of the protected ground; international cooperation in the field of protected ground.