RUB100 million soft credit to help develop Russia's sturgeon farm at moment of crisis

Konakovsky sturgeon farm, which is the only breeder of valuable and endangered sturgeon species in Tver region (some 150 km away from Moscow), has been facing big problems, reports www.fishnet-russia.com (www.fishnet.ru) with reference to KP.

The company says the current crisis has caused difficulties with sales of final products as the price per kilo of sturgeon meat amounts to RUB470 and even Moscow restaurants cannot afford paying such high prices for elite sturgeons. The producer's price of farmed sturgeon has increased due to the product's higher cost price comprising expenses for fish feeds, electric power and heat supply, while the sales have decreased.

In 2009 the company has been included into the federal target program "Increase of efficiency of exploitation and development of fishery" and under the program it will receive RUB100 million. However, the company is planning to use this money for the plant's reconstruction and therefore it will hardly solve financial problems of the farm.