Lukashenko Gave The Debtor A Good Scolding, Just Like Last Time
- 14.11.2026, 13:33
The dictator's habit is costing the entire country dearly.
On Friday, Lukashenko decided once again to take up flax. True, he promised that this would be the very last time. So Belarusian flax might just have a chance. Because the more often Lukashenko meddles with the flax industry, the worse things get for the sector.
This year, the flax yield fell to 40 centners per hectare, compared to last year’s 46. At the same time, the area planted was also smaller. So the total harvest will amount to 172,000 metric tons. A year ago, it was 212,000.
“It seems that yet another government and the governors are failing to fulfill their previous commitments and plan to come asking for handouts again. Forget about it and get those crazy thoughts out of your head,” said Lukashenko.
And the flax industry, in fact, has no other choice but to go cap in hand. For flax trusts, the key indicator isn’t yield or planted area. The key indicator is the average number. This year, it dropped to 0.87. Last year it was 0.97.
But even last year’s figure—which was actually a record for the Belarusian flax industry—was too low. The break-even point for producers is a level above one.
An average number of 0.87 means that from the 172,000 metric tons of flax stalks harvested, only 10,000–13,000 metric tons of long fiber can be obtained. The rest will be used for short fiber or discarded as waste. In Normandy, which is the main producer of flax, the yield of long fiber is 22–25 percent.
Long fiber is used to make high-end textiles and expensive clothing. Short-staple fiber is several times cheaper because it is used to produce insulation, paper, rope, and burlap. Consequently, the Belarusian flax industry is chronically unprofitable and cannot survive without constant government subsidies.
In France, farmers earn several thousand euros in net profit per centner of flax. In Belarus, the flax industry’s profitability hovers around zero only thanks to constant government support.
“For Belarus, flax is not only a strategic crop but also a political one. Just look at our country’s coat of arms. It is also an important part of our cultural and historical heritage, one of our symbols, and a very significant segment of the economy. You could say it’s our gold, just as cotton is for the Uzbeks,” said Lukashenko.
If he meant that flax is “gold” in terms of costs, then he wasn’t lying. Because Lukashenko’s habit of fiddling with the debt is costing the entire country dearly.
Andrei Bronishevsky, Plan B