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Lukashenko upholds projects to build new fish farms in Mogilev Oblast
BELYNICHI DISTRICT, 29 September (BelTA) – New complexes to produce trout caviar and high-value fish will be built in Mogilev Oblast, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said during his trip to Belynichi District, BelTA reports.
Aleksandr Lukashenko visited the Vishov section for high-value fish of the Lokhva trout farm. The president was told about the prospects for fish farming industry in Mogilev Oblast and measures to ramp up the output of high-value fish. The head of state studied the fish breeding technology used at the farm.
“Some 164,000 tonnes of fish and fish products worth $500 million were imported in 2022. This included 9,400 tonnes of fresh and chilled trout,” Mogilev Oblast Governor Anatoly Isachenko informed.
“$500 million is a good market,” the president noted.
As Aleksandr Lukashenko was informed, there are plans to build a complex to breed high-value fish in Krasnopolie District near the Paluzh River. The production capacity will be 1,000 tonnes of trout per year. The preliminary project cost is about Br40 million.
Another complex to produce rainbow trout caviar will be built in Cherikov. Its construction will cost almost Br35 million.
The design capacity will be 25 million fish eggs per year.
At present Belarus’ demand for fish eggs is 4 million. So far fish eggs are imported. Once the new facilities are up and running, the annual demand will increase eight-fold up to 32.5 million. Therefore, the construction of a trout breeding facility is also under discussion.
The Mogilev Oblast Executive Committee wants to allocate funds for the construction of the fish complexes from its innovation fund. First of all, the money will be spent on production of fertilized fish eggs.
“Okay, we will support it. Even if you run short of funds, we will lend you some money. But we need to build these facility really fast. Let’s bring these two projects to life,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko.
During the visit to the Belarusian National Biotechnology Corporation last autumn, the head of state instructed the governors to come up with a strategy to promote fish farming taking into account the availability of modern compound feed.
The president emphasized that this also includes high-value fish. For example, one of the country’s fish farms has already launched the production of black caviar that outcompetes similar products in blind tastings and is praised by specialists.
“If we can do this and get a good profit margin, well, let’s go for it,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko. “Sit down and think what kind of fish we can produce here [in Belarus]. We have feed for it.”
The Agricultural Business government program for 2021-2025 provides for an almost doubling of output of high-value fish - salmon and sturgeon - throughout the country.
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