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PM Myasnikovich dissatisfied with «slow modernization» of flax industry

Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich expressed concern about what he said the slow modernization of the country`s flax mills at a meeting held by the Presidium of the Council of Ministers on Thursday to discuss the operation of the industry, said the cabinet’s press office, BelaPAN said.

“Unfortunately, the Presidium of the Council of Ministers has to convene for meetings from time to time to draw the attention of the regional executive authorities and the agriculture ministry to the extremely unsatisfactory modernization pace,” said Mr. Myasnikovich.

Around 574 billion rubels ($66.06 million) in soft loans has been earmarked for the modernization effort. The sum is serious, but some flax mills have not yet even come up with modernization proposals, the premier said. “The attitude cannot be described otherwise than as irresponsible.”

There are 44 flax mills in the country, which operate a total of 64 lines processing long-line flax fiber and 65 short-line flax fiber processing lines. More than 20 percent of the former lines and more than 60 percent of the latter lines have been in operation for 20 years and more, many years past their depreciation life, according to the agriculture ministry.

Alyaksandr Lukashenka has ordered a sweeping modernization of the industry to increase its annual flax fiber production to 60,000 tons in the next several years, said the press office. The 574 billion rubels was allocated to modernize eight mills and build three new ones.

Mr. Myasnikovich said that the equipment and technologies used by flax mills to process flax straw into fiber caused particular concern. “The information that we have received suggests that most regional governments and the agriculture ministry display an irresponsible attitude to the modernization of existing flax mills,” he stressed.