V. Prudnikov: We see no problems in our cooperation with Russia

Belarus has no problems with deliveries of food commodities to Russia, said the representative of Belarusian Ministry of Agriculture.

Belarus has no problems with deliveries of food commodities to Russia, said the representative of Belarusian Ministry of Agriculture.

“All relevant enterprises in Belarus have been accredited and checked both by the sanitary and veterinary services of the Russian Federation; so far no complaints have been made against them,” said Head of the Directorate of Foreign Economic Activities under the Ministry of Agriculture and Foodstuffs Vasili Prudnikov meeting with journalists.

V. Prudnikov expressed confidence that as before up to 85% of our meat and dairy products will be exported to Russia. “Why have we made such a conclusion? For Moscow Department of Food Resources urges us to sign a one-year protocol of goods deliveries, and almost 35% of meat and dairy products supplied to Russia go to Moscow,” he stressed.

At the same time V. Prudnikov noted that similar arrangements are being discussed with St. Petersburg’s administration. “A similar issue, on concluding a one-year agreement and protocol of deliveries, is considered by St. Petersburg. They determine the operators which will operate on the Belarusian market and we define the list of companies that will supply products to St. Petersburg and Moscow market,” said V. Prudnikov.

As regards prospects for further presence of Belarusian foodstuffs on the Russian market, V. Prudnikov noted that in the next 3-5 years Russia will be actively developing pigstry and poultry farming. Yet, in another 10 years it will hardly manage to achieve the level of cattle production of 1990. “Our beef and milk will be in demand, so we do not see any the problems in our cooperation with Russia,” said V.Prudnikov.

Touching the topic of Belarusian food deliveries to the EU, Vladimir Prudnikov noted that almost 45% of Belarusian enterprises correspond to European standards in all respects. “Why don’t we supply to the European Union? We must obtain accreditation and import permit for our products,” noted Vladimir Prudnikov. “The European Union has already been studying this issue for over five years, although our products anyway get to EU markets via other countries, for instance Poland or the Baltic states”. “Yet, so far we haven’t obtained an official permission. Therefore, we carry on working to help our businesses enter the European market,” he concluded.