March 26, 2013

The Ministry of Agriculture of Belarus have estimated that the country is importing about 500,000 tonnes of feed protein annually, in the form of wheat, soy and corn at a total cost of US$300 million.

Therefore the country is aiming at significantly boosting the share of leguminous crop cultivation, which in total will be 2.5 million hectares. The government also plans to expand the cultivation of oilseed rape crops. This year it will occupy 459,000 hectares of agricultural lands, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

As a result Belarus hopes to collect 10.9 million tonnes of grain and 963 tonnes of rapeseed, this year. With regard to self-sufficiency in feed production the aim is to increase production in the livestock industry. If compound feed is cheaper the country can produce 6.8 million tonnes of milk, which is about 0.8 million tonnes more compared to last year.