Belarus plans to levy customs duties on rapeseeds exported to countries beyond borders of the Eurasian Economic Community at EUR100 (US$123)/tonne, according to reports.

The rate of the customs duties will face changes, when the need arises, taking into account development of the price situation on the export market of rapeseeds.

The document takes effect in 10 days after the official publication.

According to the Belarusian State Concern of Food Industry Belgospischeprom, the government imposes the duties in order to supply the domestic rapeseed processors with sufficient volumes of raw material in an effort to maximise production of rapeseed oil, cake and meal inside the country.

This year, the overall production of rapeseed in the country will reach nearly one million tonnes as opposed to 750,000 tonnes in 2009.

Meanwhile, rapeseed oil production is expected to total 300,000 tonnes this year, up 2.2 times compared to 2009, according to reports.