June 4, 2012

Belarus to sell 500 tonnes rapeseed oil to Israel

About 500 tonnes of rapeseed oil will be supplied by Belarus every month to Israel, the press office of the Belarusian State Food Industry Concern (Beldzyarzhkharchpram) said.

An agreement to this effect was reached during talks held in Minsk on May 31 with Levan Michaele, director of Israeli company Shem Tov Food Ltd., who is also director of Belarus-Israel Food Company. Michaele said that Shem Tov Food was interested in purchasing US$5 million worth of Belarusian sugar and rapeseed oil by the end of the year, the press office said.

Representatives of the company first visited Belarus in January 2012 and signed supply agreements with Homel Fat Plant and Haradzeya Sugar Refinery. Shem Tov Food is planning to purchase even more Belarusian products, considering their high quality and popularity in Israel, Michaele said on Friday (June 1).

Belarus is the only post-Soviet country that sells rapeseed oil, which accounts for 80% of the vegetable oils sold in Israel, he said. The issue of quality is the most important one for Israel, and Belarusian rapeseed oil, a kosher product, meets all Israeli requirements, he said.

According to the press office, Michaele expressed readiness to import up to 40,000 tonnes of Belarusian sugar every year through Belarus-Israel Food Company.