"In General, the activities of all greenhouse complexes of Russia without exception the adverse impact of the situation due to the pandemic. In June we conducted a study of the influence of COVID-19 on the greenhouse industry. The survey showed that almost all plants (96%) recorded a decrease in revenue by more than 25% during the spring months of the current year. Some respondents report that the loss of revenue made up more than 50%. This problem is most concerned about the industry", comments the research Deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation and the President of the Association "Greenhouses of Russia" Alexey Sitnikov.

According to representatives of the greenhouse plants, the main cause of the current problems in the industry is the lack of support from the state (67%). Adversely affected by the unfair pricing of products in retail chains (17%).

"The representatives of greenhouse complexes primarily noted the lack of additional government support for the industry. It certainly had an impact on the performance of plants in a state of restrictive measures in the period of the epidemic. Also influenced the limitation of the operation of hypermarkets and monopoly networks, which in April they tried to use, dictating a low purchase price. Thanks to negotiations by mid-may we were able to restore the status quo in the relationship with trade networks, but, unfortunately, spring for the enterprises was lost," said Sitnikov.

90% of the representatives of the enterprises of the protected ground noted a drop in demand for vegetable products. The reason for this was the decline in the purchasing power of the population. Sales was affected by increased demand for the products of the first necessity, with the result that the population has limited the purchase of greenhouse vegetables. Consequently, sales prices in April and may were substantially below last year's level.

52% of respondents indicated the main problem of the industry the increase in electricity tariffs. According to industry experts, to help the situation can 50% payment of the cost of electricity and gas.

"First of all, the revenue decline has a significant impact on payments to energy suppliers. Moreover, TK can't stop or cut production, and reduce energy consumption. This specificity of work of the enterprises closed ground. In agriculture, the greenhouse plants, the most energy-intensive enterprises. Additional measures of the state support is necessary in this question. We estimated the volume of necessary funds for the compensation of electricity costs at the end of last year in the preparation of documents adoption of the budget for 2020. According to our estimates, the amount of greenhouse plants is of the order of 9 billion rubles for the implementation of the 50% compensation of costs of agricultural producers of electricity", - says Alexei Sitnikov.

According to A. Sitnikova, many greenhouses have problems with the fact that numerically they may not apply to SMEs, resulting to be outside the framework of state support: "At the moment is a discussion of the amendments to the law on SMEs the number of employees in the attribution of businesses to SMEs. If they make the most greenhouse plants would receive the status of SMEs, which will undoubtedly help our future work".

The Association also noted that the forecast revenue growth of representatives of TK at the moment are not taken. More than 62% of respondents put a priority minimizing the loss of production.

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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.