MINSK, 29 September (BelTA) – The Agriculture and Food Ministry expects the country's agricultural output to increase by 5.5% in 2020, BelTA learned from Belarusian Agriculture and Food Minister Ivan Krupko during the 30th international agriculture expo Belagro 2020 on 29 September.
The official said: “It has been a complicated year due to the pandemic and other economic challenges. But farmers have passed the exam that tested their professionalism. In January-August the merchandise output increased by 7.9% in all categories of agricultural enterprises. The output of animal products increased by 5.7%. Milk production increased by 300,000 tonnes, with meat production up by 6%. We expect a 5.5% growth at the end of the year. We expect export to increase by 6.5% from 2019 to reach $5.9 billion.”
In his words, 26 years ago the government received instructions to ensure food security and stabilize agriculture. In 2019 the export of agricultural products and food amounted to $5.5 billion, an increase of 12 times, Ivan Krupko noted.
This year's Belagro expo is timed to the Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to Belarus Dmitry Mezentsev said that representatives of over 30 Russian companies, including those from Bryansk Oblast, Volgograd Oblast, Omsk Oblast, Saratov Oblast, and Voronezh Oblast, have come for the expo despite COVID-19. “Ensuring the food security of the country and the partners is a most important thing. Belarusian agriculture demonstrates the dynamism of its development at Belagro. Russian products are represented here today as well, but we intend to step up our presence in the future. Dozens of constituent entities of the Russian Federation, hundreds of companies would like to present their products at the expo after the pandemic,” he noted.
