Business news

MINSK, 19 February (BelTA) – In 2017 enterprises run by the Belarusian Agriculture and Food Ministry increased their merchandise export by 3.9%, BelTA learned from Aleksei Bogdanov, Head of the Central Office for Foreign Economic Activities of the Belarusian Agriculture and Food Ministry, at a press conference on 19 February.

Agricultural export by enterprises of various forms of ownership was close to $5 billion in 2017. Export by enterprises run by the Agriculture and Food Ministry rose by 3.9% to $2.4 billion. “Apart from that, we’ve managed to increase export proceeds by $89 million. The ministry’s enterprises shipped their products to 70 countries across the globe, eight more countries since 2016,” said the official.

Russia is the main target market for the ministry’s enterprises — $2.1 billion. “We are intent on keeping this market while reducing our dependence on it and diversifying export. We’ve been able to achieve that step by step. In 2017 Russia’s share in the total export of our agricultural products dropped by 4.9% to 89.4%. Kazakhstan is the second largest market — $72 million. Ukraine comes third with $38 million. We are gradually restoring our presence on the Ukrainian market. Export grew by 32% in 2017. It speaks volumes,” said the official.

In 2017 merchandise export by Agriculture and Food Ministry enterprises to Turkey rose by 107 times to $10.8 million. The main exports to Turkey were butter, dry dairy products, and eggs. “We intend to expand the choice of exports this year primarily with cheese,” added Aleksei Bogdanov.

Belarus is also intent on exporting more agricultural products to the European Union. In 2017 export to Poland totaled $10.6 million. Poland was followed by Lithuania with $6.4 million. “We are working on getting the enterprises certified in order to sell dairy products and poultry meat to the European Union. We are also discussing with colleagues from Europe the transit of Belarusian animal husbandry products via the European Union to the Klaipeda port. It is a very important matter for us because it is much more profitable for us to export beef and poultry meat to Africa and Southeast Asia via this port,” stressed Aleksei Bogdanov.