Belarus plans to increase its milk production to 9.6 million tonnes by 2020, by 33% as against 2015, Belarus First Deputy Agriculture and Food Minister Leonid Marinich told media on 28 April. Leonid Marinich is attending the second export to discuss forum Dairy Belarus, BelTA has learned.
This year there are plans to increase the country’s milk production by approximately 6% to 2015 during which an estimated 7.2 million tonnes of milk was produced. Belarus will continue working on the productivity of its dairy herd. “We plan to produce 9.6 million tonnes of milk by 2020,” the First Deputy Minister said. According to Leonid Marinich, Belarusian agrarians are ready for Belarus’ WTO entry and a forecasted fall in export prices. Here, the domestic agricultural complex needs to stay committed to the implementation of the head of state’s instruction to reduce the production prime cost by 25%. “We need to cut on expenses in order to stay competitive. We are preparing for it and will be ready,” stressed Leonid Marinich. The second export forum Dairy Belarus has in Minsk over 200 experts from 15 countries. Among its participants are directors of nearly 25 dairies, marketing experts, representatives of government bodies and scientific institutes, foreign organizations and diplomatic missions. The central theme for discussion at the forum is the export potential of the Belarusian dairy industry and the search for ways to enhance the efficiency of the production. The forum will include individual talks between dairy producers and wholesale and retail organizations of Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Germany, Singapore and other countries. The event is held on the initiative and under the auspices of the Belarusian Agriculture and Food Ministry. (belta)