“Small and micro-business: potential for development”

Tatarstan branch of AO “Rosselkhozbank” (“Russian Agricultural Bank”) and “Komsomolskaya Pravda” publishing house held a business-marathon in Kazan called “Small and micro-business: potential for development”. The following officials took part in the event devoted to the issues of development and support of entrepreneurship: Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan – Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Tatarstan Marat Akhmetov, Minister of Economy of the Republic of Tatarstan Artem Zdunov, Director at “Guarantee Fund of the Republic of Tatarstan” Sergey Bolotaev, Director Deputy at the Department of small and micro-business of AO “Rosselkhozbank” Aleksey Istomin, Executive Committee Chairman at the Regional department of All-Russia Non-Governmental Organization “Business Russia” in the Republic of Tatarstan Farid Khuzin, businessmen, heads of peasant farm enterprises of the Republic of Tatarstan.

In his opening speech, Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Tatarstan Marat Akhmetov noted the importance of business development in villages. “It is vital to provide village businessmen with finances and create the appropriate infrastructure”, - emphasized Marat Akhmetov.

During the business-marathon, its participants discussed important issues of state and bank support for entrepreneurship, effective cooperation between business and authorities, prospective trends of development of small and micro-business.

Marat Akhmetov recommended proprietors, who were willing to start a business and needed bank loans, to estimate efficiency of their projects and to make business plans close to reality.

The minister also spoke on implementation of about 20 state programs in the republic, which should increase business activities in villages.

After that a business workshop was held, during which proprietors learnt the rules of how to start a successful business, how to attract and retain customers, etc.