Business news

MINSK, 28 May (BelTA) - Belarus has sent the first commercial batch of beef to China, BelTA learned from Aleksei Bogdanov, Head of the Central Office for Foreign Economic Activities of the Belarusian Agriculture and Food Ministry.

“A few days ago we sent the first container with beef using the Silk Road railway route to China. This is the result of hard work of Chongqing Trade Company Valosha (China) and Belarusian enterprises - Mogilev Meat Packing Plant and Veles-Meat company. The batch of cheese, chocolate glazed curd bars, packaged milk and curd paste has been contracted and will be sent to China soon. The Chinese company Valosha is preparing to sign contracts with Belarusian poultry farms,” Aleksei Bogdanov said.

In his words, Belarus’ export of meat and dairy products to China are on an increase thanks to the agreements and contracts. A number of agreements between Belarus and China were signed during the international food exhibition SIAL in Shanghai. The Shchuchin-based dairy plant Primemilk and Slutsk Creamery concluded contacts with Singapore’s Global to supply whey to China (500 tonnes each). “The plans are ambitious. The Shchuchin company has already shipped 200 tonnes of dry whey and plans to make it 2,000 tonnes by the end of the year. The Kopyl subsidiary will fulfill the contract by 1 September and plans to reach 1,000 tonnes by the end of 2018. The same is true about Pruzhany Dairy Factory. The Volozhin subsidiary of Gormolzavod No.1 is gearing up to ship 200 tonnes of whey next week,” Aleksei Bogdanov said.

In January-April 2018 the export of the Belarusian agricultural products and food to China totaled $5.6 million, or up 33.2% as against the same period last year. Belarus supplied flax fiber, milk and dairy products, meat and meat products, starch, alcoholic beverages, wool and other goods to China. Dairy products demonstrated the biggest growth (30%) in comparison with the same period last year. The supplies of flax fiber grew 2.4 times in natural terms.