Opinions & Interviews

Belarusian agricultural industry encouraged to turn challenges into opportunities

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GLUBOKOYE, 18 March (BelTA) - Western sanctions are opening  up new opportunities for Belarusian agricultural producers, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he hosted a  meeting to discuss the development of agricultural associations of Vitebsk Oblast in Glubokoye on 18 March, BelTA has learned. 

“On the one hand, the situation is very tough. They will be strangling us and Russia economically. They have included Belarus in the lists so that Russia could not bypass the sanctions through Belarus, in other words we are on the list to keep Russia company. But we know that they want to ruin us, to bring us down to the level of Ukraine and deal with us once and forever," Aleksandr Lukashenko said. "But on the other hand, this is a time of great opportunities for you, agrarians, and for those who produce agricultural machines."

The head of state noted that Western sanctions are an opportunity to secure a foothold in markets, especially in Russia. "It's an opportunity, it's a chance. If we miss out on it we may never be able to improve the situation in our agriculture," the president emphasized. “We need to clench our teeth and live through these difficulties that may last this year and, possibly, next year. We will reformat our work and we will keep going. Your number one task is to produce goods and sell them.”

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