MINSK, 16 February (BelTA) - Consumer societies need to expand the network of farm produce receiving stations, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at the general meeting of the Belarusian national union of consumer societies Belkoopsoyuz in Minsk on 16 February, BelTA has learned.
Aleksandr Lukashenko added that procurement is a traditional function of consumer societies. The company purchases surplus agricultural products grown in private subsidiary plots and farms all year round. The warm season provides forest products as well.
“Judging by the statistics, you ensure the annual growth of procurement. It must be recognized however that the growth rate is insufficient, and moreover, very slow. It is necessary to expand the network of receiving stations, because the initiative is being overtaken by others, including private entrepreneurs. It needs to be done where it can bring profits. Yet, you are still losing here,” the head of state said. “You keep saying that procurement is not a business project, but a social welfare activity. For some reason it is profitable for a private sector and not for consumer societies. That cannot be true. If it is profitable for the private sector, it is twice as profitable for you. After all, this is raw material for your own enterprises.”
