Business news

According to Aleksei Bogdanov, head of the Foreign Trade Department at the Belarusian Agriculture and Food Ministry, representatives of Chinese business community visited the meat packing plants in Brest, Grodno, Mogilev, and Pinsk, and also the meat canning plant in Bereza in July. As a result, a number of agreements to supply Belarus’ products to China have been signed. Bereza meat canning plant was offered to launch export to China in the near future. The sides expressed their intention to sign a framework contract and start working on specifications. During the visit to Brest meat packing plant, Chinese businessmen said their companies are ready to buy and process beef bones. The Chinese businessmen invited Pinsk meat packing plant to boost beef production by means of setting up a joint venture. The partners are also keen to start producing halal meat at the plant, work out recipes together, and then sell the meat into China.

Aleksei Bogdanov remarked that China has just recently opened its market for Belarus’ beef. Belarus regularly invites Chinese business delegations to work out the logistics of supplies, discuss the specifics of the meat industry, and customer preferences. As of today, eight Belarusian meat processing companies are certified to sell beef into China. The work to certify other enterprises is in the pipeline. There are plans to export poultry to China, too. China has carried out the first inspection at Belarusian companies. The sides signed a memorandum to certify Belarus’ poultry and meat and give it access to the Chinese market. Aleksei Bogdanov expressed hope for successful cooperation with China, in general. He cited dairy supplies to China as an example of such cooperation: in 2016, 36 Belarusian dairy plants were granted access to the Chinese market. Belarus’ dairy exports to China surged 22 times in January-May 2017 and totaled $2 million.

Following the visit to five Belarusian meat packing plants, Sina Trade Director General Ma Zhiyuan told the media that these are high-level companies with relevant manufacturing standards. “Belarus-made products are of high quality. Sina Trade has already started working here. We have exported nearly $1 million worth of frozen poultry to Southeast Asian countries together with Bereza meat canning plant and Pinsk meat packing plant,” he said.

Ma Zhiyuan also pointed to the high demand for chilled beef, although the long-distance logistics remains an issue for the time being. Specialists are busy trying to find a solution to this problem, this is why Ma Zhiyuan expressed hope that the Belarusian chilled beef will find its way to China in the near future, too.