Belarus will have enough foodstuffs despite food embargo - Agriculture Ministry
<p> MINSK, Dec 8 - PrimePress. The domestic market will be supplied with food, and businesses will be supplied with raw materials, despite the embargo Belarus imposed on food import from certain western countries starting 1 Jan 2022, said Alexey Bogdanov, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture. </p> <p> </p> <p> In his words, almost all meat and dairy products in retail are domestically produced. “These products will not go anywhere, they were, are and will be [available]. And the range and volume of products produced will expand according to our plans. Consumers will not feel any changes on supermarket shelves. We produce sausages and cheese in very large volumes,” Bogdanov said. </p> <p> </p> <p> “Belarus has long been pursuing a food security policy based on self-sufficiency in food production. We managed to achieve this more than 10 years ago. We are fully self-sufficient in the meat and dairy group of goods and have considerable export potential. For example, producing nearly 8 million tons of dairy products a year, we export 4.8 million tons to foreign markets in 58 countries. In other words, there is a double reserve and even more for dairy products. The same situation is with meat: 32% of the total production is an export potential. Therefore, the reserve is huge,” Bogdanov said. </p> <p> </p> <p> He also noted that processing plants will not have problems with raw materials. “We have quotas within the EEU for pork, poultry meat. We import 90% of such goods from countries which are not on the list. For example, we used to import only 4% of beef from Europe, the rest came from other countries. As for pork, last year we imported most of it from Russia. There is no problem with substitution here. And we ourselves are increasing production volumes of poultry, beef, pork and dairy products every year. The share of imports is becoming smaller every year,” Bogdanov said. </p> <p> </p> <p> “As for fruit and vegetables, the share of domestic (goods of this category – editor’s note) on the shelves ranges from 60% to 90%, depending on the type. Of course, during the off-season we import some fruits and vegetables. But we do not expect any problems here either. Many of the goods imported from the EU were in transit. That’s why our commercial structures, which deal with imports, have to quickly reorient themselves directly to the producers. It may be even cheaper than through some intermediary that used to be in Europe. Of course, this will also be an impetus for our producers and investors to increase the production of vegetables and fruits in our country and to plant new orchards,” Bogdanov said. </p> <p> </p> <p> In his words, the food embargo will not affect export plans either. Exports of Belarusian foodstuffs and agricultural raw materials grew by 14.1% in January-October 2021 to the tune of $5.4 billion. The year-end figure is expected to exceed $6 billion. </p> <p> </p> <p> As previously reported, the Government of Belarus will impose an embargo starting 1 Jan 2022 on food imports from certain countries, which have been applying anti-Belarusian sanctions. </p> <p> </p> <p> The ban will apply to a number of imports from the European Union and its member states, from the United States of America, Canada, Norway, Albania, Iceland, North Macedonia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Montenegro, and Switzerland. </p> <p> </p> <p> The list of prohibited goods includes pigs, meat of cattle, pork, a number of byproducts, salted meat, meat in brine, dried or smoked meat, food flour from meat or meat by-products, milk and dairy products (with some exceptions), vegetables other than those intended for sowing, fruits and nuts, pork fat and poultry fat, fat of cattle, fat of sheep or goats, lard stearin and other animal oils, sausages and similar products, confectionery, salt and other goods. The retaliatory restrictions will not apply to goods, which Belarusians import for personal consumption, for instance, to baby food and a number of other critical imports. End </p>
2021-12-09
Primepress
Belarus will have enough foodstuffs despite food embargo - Agriculture Ministry
MINSK, Dec 8 - PrimePress. The domestic market will be supplied with food, and businesses will be supplied with raw materials, despite the embargo Belarus imposed on food import from certain western countries starting 1 Jan 2022, said Alexey Bogdanov, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture.
In his words, almost all meat and dairy products in retail are domestically produced. “These products will not go anywhere, they were, are and will be [available]. And the range and volume of products produced will expand according to our plans. Consumers will not feel any changes on supermarket shelves. We produce sausages and cheese in very large volumes,” Bogdanov said.
“Belarus has long been pursuing a food security policy based on self-sufficiency in food production. We managed to achieve this more than 10 years ago. We are fully self-sufficient in the meat and dairy group of goods and have considerable export potential. For example, producing nearly 8 million tons of dairy products a year, we export 4.8 million tons to foreign markets in 58 countries. In other words, there is a double reserve and even more for dairy products. The same situation is with meat: 32% of the total production is an export potential. Therefore, the reserve is huge,” Bogdanov said.
He also noted that processing plants will not have problems with raw materials. “We have quotas within the EEU for pork, poultry meat. We import 90% of such goods from countries which are not on the list. For example, we used to import only 4% of beef from Europe, the rest came from other countries. As for pork, last year we imported most of it from Russia. There is no problem with substitution here. And we ourselves are increasing production volumes of poultry, beef, pork and dairy products every year. The share of imports is becoming smaller every year,” Bogdanov said.
“As for fruit and vegetables, the share of domestic (goods of this category – editor’s note) on the shelves ranges from 60% to 90%, depending on the type. Of course, during the off-season we import some fruits and vegetables. But we do not expect any problems here either. Many of the goods imported from the EU were in transit. That’s why our commercial structures, which deal with imports, have to quickly reorient themselves directly to the producers. It may be even cheaper than through some intermediary that used to be in Europe. Of course, this will also be an impetus for our producers and investors to increase the production of vegetables and fruits in our country and to plant new orchards,” Bogdanov said.
In his words, the food embargo will not affect export plans either. Exports of Belarusian foodstuffs and agricultural raw materials grew by 14.1% in January-October 2021 to the tune of $5.4 billion. The year-end figure is expected to exceed $6 billion.
As previously reported, the Government of Belarus will impose an embargo starting 1 Jan 2022 on food imports from certain countries, which have been applying anti-Belarusian sanctions.
The ban will apply to a number of imports from the European Union and its member states, from the United States of America, Canada, Norway, Albania, Iceland, North Macedonia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Montenegro, and Switzerland.
The list of prohibited goods includes pigs, meat of cattle, pork, a number of byproducts, salted meat, meat in brine, dried or smoked meat, food flour from meat or meat by-products, milk and dairy products (with some exceptions), vegetables other than those intended for sowing, fruits and nuts, pork fat and poultry fat, fat of cattle, fat of sheep or goats, lard stearin and other animal oils, sausages and similar products, confectionery, salt and other goods. The retaliatory restrictions will not apply to goods, which Belarusians import for personal consumption, for instance, to baby food and a number of other critical imports. End