March 6, 2012

Belarus to boost agricultural export to US$8 billion

By 2015, Belarus has planned to raise its agricultural export to US$8 billion, First Deputy Agriculture and Food Minister Nadezhda Kotkovets said.

Belarus' major export items are dairy and meat products. "Yet, Belarus exports very little of potatoes and vegetables, seed corn and permanent grasses," Nadezhda Kotkovets said. According to her, farmers from other countries used to come to Belarus to buy pedigree cattle in previous years. Black cows were popular in all CIS countries but now export of pedigree cattle is unreasonably low. Nadezhda Kotkovets believes that it is necessary to revisit this and other areas of foreign economic activity.

At the same time some agricultural enterprises are still keen on import, though US dollar/Belarusian ruble exchange rate has become more expensive, the refinancing rate is still high, Nadezhda Kotkovets said. Besides it is necessary to pay back the credits which were extended to implement investments project, Nadezhda Kotkovets added.

"In terms of some imports we could easily do without them, use home resources or start manufacturing products under the import substitution programme," she said. First of all, these are protein feed, seed corn and some kinds of equipment. "We need to work harder to reduce import," Nadezhda Kotkovets said. Since the beginning of the year the increase in financial obligations made up 26%, including 19% in credits and loans. Nadezhda Kotkovets said that the government will not cut down on either of 18 national programmes in agriculture. All the programmes will be running according to schedule. But along with the budget funding, agricultural enterprises should also spend their own money for the implementation of programmes, Nadezhda Kotkovets urged.