Belarus can process about 2m tonnes of oil crops per year

MINSK, 22 May (BelTA) – Belarusian companies are able to process about two million tonnes of oilseed crops per year, Andrei Meshkov, head of the food production department at the Belarusian state food industry concern Belgospishcheprom, said.

“Belarusian companies have the capacity to process about two million tonnes of oilseed crops per year. About 90 organizations of various forms of ownership and subordination produce vegetable oil in the country. More than 60% of these capacities are concentrated at four enterprises that have the “pre-pressing-extraction” processing technology. The remaining 38% of the capacities are possessed by relatively large enterprises, as well as workshops,” Andrei Meshkov informed.

In the course of implementing the national food security goals and objectives, the Belgospishcheprom concern is working to promote rapeseed oil.

“The efforts to promote rapeseed oil helped boost sales of this food product on the domestic market. For example, in 2018 the organizations affiliated with the concern sold 243 tonnes of bottled rapeseed oil and blended oil based on rapeseed, while in 2020 they sold a little more than 1,000 tonnes. In 2021, the sales grew further up to 3,900 tonnes, and in 2022 they hit a new high of 5,600 tonnes,” the specialist said.

Meanwhile, according to Andrei Meshkov, the increase in vegetable oil production does not only help boost food security, but also allows increasing exports. At the same time, the domestic supply of Belarus-made vegetable oil stands at 223%.

“In 2022, rapeseed oil made in Belarus was exported to 22 countries. The export was estimated at almost $640 million,” the specialist said.