Business news

MINSK, 27 October (BelTA) – The first batches of products made by Belarusian meat-processing enterprises will be shipped to China in early 2017, BelTA learned from Belarusian Agriculture and Food Minister Leonid Zayats on 27 October.

The official specified that initially Belarus intends to export beef to China. “After meat-packing factories are certified, we are going to certify our poultry factories in order to sell poultry meat to China,” said the Belarusian Agriculture and Food Minister.

A team of Chinese experts is examining four Belarusian meat-processing enterprises in Brest Oblast, Grodno Oblast, Minsk Oblast, and Mogilev Oblast in order to certify the manufacturing facilities. “Certification proceeds successfully. As a result, nine enterprises are supposed to get the right to export their merchandise to China,” said the official.

The Belarusian Agriculture and Food Minister also reminded that 34 Belarusian milk-processing enterprises had been authorized to export dairy products to China.

The official did not rule out the possibility of exporting Belarusian foods to Africa. “It is necessary to get in touch with African consumers since they need our dairy and meat products. A delegation from Nigeria visited our country a short while ago. A shortage of food is felt in that region. This is why the possibility of supplying milk powder and whole milk is being discussed as well as the establishment of joint ventures to process milk,” said the official.

In the last five years Belarus’ meat export rose by 23%. Plans have been made to increase export by nearly 25% by 2020 in comparison with 2015. “Instructions have been given to promote products of meat-processing enterprises to third-country markets and products with a high added value at that,” concluded the official.