June 17, 2010

Belarus plans to adopt the know-how of its Ukrainian colleagues in livestock breeding, Agriculture and Food Minister Mikhail Rusyi said.

The country's geneticists and breeders are expected to purchase 2,000-3,000 head of breeding stock in the Volyn and Zhytomyr Oblasts. Belarus has been working hard on exchanging the experience in poultry keeping and hog breeding.

It is also ready to welcome foreign investors in the construction of new stock breeding units. According to the minister, Belarus plans to build about 70 new hog farms.

Belarus is also interested in Ukraine's experience in selected seed farming including the production of Lucerne seeds and breeding of new varieties of corn.

During a recent meeting, Belarus and Ukraine had agreed on bringing the national agriculture legislations in compliance with the EU. Rusyi also pointed to a need to establish closer cooperation in agriculture, and to remove restrictions at borders and quotas that hampers efficient cooperation between the two countries.