Grodno District, 18 August (BelTA) – We need to makes sufficient stocks of fruits and vegetables in order to meet the needs of the domestic market with home-grown products in the off-season, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he made a working trip to Grodno District, BelTA has learned.
This topic was raised as Grodno Oblast Governor Vladimir Karanik made his report to the president. "The question is about distribution channels and sales. We produce more and more vegetables and fruits, but we are constantly reported that they are not available in stores. We are also making our best to create stocks," the governor said. “Still there are unclaimed balances that we write off. Collective farmers write them off as their own losses. Therefore, I want to say that our agriculture is able to meet the needs of the domestic market.”
In this regard, the president asked whether contracts have been concluded with retail chains.
"We are ready to conclude contracts with regional networks. There is no such option with national networks," Vladimir Karanik replied.
Aleksandr Lukashenko instructed to conclude contracts with retail outlets for the entire harvest of domestic vegetables. “This year we will have full-blown dictatorship in these matters. I have already told you about it. Sales contracts should be concluded for the entire harvest,” the president stressed.
The head of state guaranteed that payments would be made for all products put in storage.
“Anything you can store will be used. I guarantee you that,” the president noted. “We need to consume home-grown potato, not that imported from Egypt. I have nothing against Egypt. We import potatoes from Egypt while producing a lot of this vegetable at home,” the head of state said.
“All the warehouses in the country must be filled. Everything in storage will be sold. Sales contracts should be concluded with retail chains. This is a must,” the Belarusian leader said.
