MINSK, 11 December (BelTA) - Belarus and the CIS countries plan to increase mutual trade in 2021, BelTA learned from the press service of the Agriculture and Food Ministry following the 33rd session of the CIS Intergovernmental Council on Agriculture and Food held as a video conference on 10 December.
The members of the council have considered the preliminary results of the agro-industrial complex of CIS countries in 2020. It was stated that despite difficulties caused by the pandemic and adverse weather conditions, the agro-industrial complex in some countries has demonstrated stable operations and increased exports. According to the National Statistics Committee of Belarus, the turnover of agricultural products and foodstuffs with CIS countries amounted to $5.8 billion in January-October 2020. “The export of agricultural products and foodstuffs by Belarusian organizations to the CIS countries amounted to $4.1 billion, or 101.1% compared to the same period in 2019. Russia accounted for 74.2% of the Belarusian total exports, the CIS countries (without the Russian Federation) for 12%. The plans for 2021 are to further increase mutual trade between Belarus and the CIS countries,” the press service said.
The heads of the agricultural and economic agencies also discussed the process of integrating the information systems in phytosanitary control to facilitate the movement of agricultural goods between the CIS member states.
Belarus' Agriculture and Food Minister Ivan Krupko gave a speech on the selection and breeding of farm animals in the CIS member states. In his report, he noted that the country has adopted a law “On ratification of the agreement on measures to unify breeding work in the farming sector in the Eurasian Economic Union”. A number of joint documents regulating breeding activities have almost been developed. They meet modern world standards in pedigree livestock breeding, international officially accepted methods of pedigree accounting, identification, productivity control, methods to determine pedigree (genetic) value of animals, approaches to sales of pedigree products.
“Belarus has certain experience in using the advanced scientific research methods of selection and breeding, including molecular genetic studies in livestock breeding, which can significantly increase the reliability and efficiency of evaluation of breeding (genetic) value of farm animals, and to improve the efficiency of the breeding process in the country in general,” the ministry stressed.
Belarus' breeding organizations interact with the country's genetic laboratories that meet the criteria of the national accreditation system. They have passed comparative tests of the international organization ISAG and have modern equipment that helps carry out genotyping of breeding animals, control reliability of origin of farm animals, exclude hereditary diseases for their subsequent selection and use for breeding and further transition to the international system of evaluation of breeding value of farm animals.
According to the press service, it was proposed to take into account the Belarusian experience on the unification of breeding and pedigree work with farm animals within the EAEU.
The participants of the meeting also considered a plan of priority measures of the CIS concept of cooperation in agricultural engineering. The concept was approved by the decision of the CIS Heads of Government Council on 6 November 2020. “This document will help the enterprises and organizations of agricultural machine building of the CIS member states in the development of mutually beneficial cooperative ties aimed at increasing economic efficiency, technological and innovative renewal, resource and energy saving, environmental safety of the industry,” the press service explained.
The members of the council approved a plan of basic measures for the implementation of the concept of agricultural sciences and scientific support of the agro-industrial complex of the CIS, a set of measures for the development of vegetable growing in the CIS countries, a plan for the development of digital economy in the agricultural sector, proposals for the development of fisheries.
The meeting was chaired by Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources of Uzbekistan Jamshid Khodjaev. Attending the event were Deputy Minister of Economy of Armenia Arman Khojoyan, Agriculture and Food Minister of Belarus Ivan Krupko, Minister of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment of Moldova Ion Perju, Acting Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan Ruslan Manataev, Minister of Agriculture, Food Industry and Melioration of Kyrgyzstan Tilek Toktogaziev, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Russia Sergey Levin, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia Alexander Morozov, Minister of Agriculture of Tajikistan Sulaimon Ziyozoda, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan Shohrat Annamyradow.
The 34th meeting of the CIS Intergovernmental Council on Agro-Industrial Complex is scheduled to take place in Minsk in H2 2021.
