Steady demand at home and abroad: Belarus is increasing food supplies to all regions of the world
Igor Brylo Minister of Agriculture and Food
A year ago, at the All-Belarusian People's Assembly, a number of tasks were set for the agro-industrial complex. The growth of production and exports, the introduction of new technologies, the attraction of investments, food security, social issues - all these areas are relevant in today's difficult conditions. The new Minister of Agriculture and Food Igor Brylo spoke in an interview with BelTA about record deliveries abroad, cooperation with CHINA and measures to increase the competitiveness of the Belarusian agro-industrial complex.
Production and EXPORT- Over the past decade, Belarus has achieved significant results in increasing agricultural production. What brought you joy in 2021?
- 2021 is the first year of the state agricultural business development program for 2021-2025. On the one hand, it can be described as difficult for Belarusian farmers - the weather and external circumstances constantly tested our strength, but at the same time it turned out to be quite successful. And this success is the result of the effective work of the workers of the village and processing.
2020 was more favorable in terms of weather and climate conditions. Then we got high production rates of the main agricultural crops. And for the harvesting of grass fodder - even a record one, therefore they were able to provide a year and a half of their supply. The year 2021, which was extreme in terms of weather conditions during the formation of the crop, did not allow farmers to fully achieve the indicators for some crops. At the same time, in general, the results of last year are above the average for the five-year period. 9 million tons of grain have been threshed, including cereals, corn and rapeseed. A sufficient supply of grass fodder has been prepared - more than 9.3 million tons. A worthy harvest of SUGAR beets, flax, potatoes, vegetables and fruits has been harvested.
Throughout 2021, dairy and beef cattle breeding demonstrated positive dynamics. In general, over the past five years, MILK production in the country has increased by more than 13%, and the volumes are growing annually. In 2021, agricultural organizations produced almost 7.6 tons of milk - 101% by 2020. The average milk yield per cow in the country in 2021 rose to 5412 kg. The best results were achieved in the Brest region, where this figure was 6569 kg. The 6,000th level of productivity was also exceeded in the farms of the Grodno and MINSK regions. 59 dairy farms, 12 production facilities for growing and fattening cattle, 6 pig breeding complexes were put into operation, more than 7 thousand units of agricultural machinery and equipment were purchased.
The proceeds from the sale of products increased by 15.1%, and profit increased by 44.2%. The increase in revenue and profit contributed to the growth of wages of agricultural workers. Today, its level has crossed the thousandth milestone. On average, Br1062 was accrued per year, or 115.5% by 2020.
- What bar did you manage to achieve in terms of export value? What markets are Belarusian manufacturers developing?
- Today we not only fully ensure the food security of the country, but also increase our export potential. The brand "Made in Belarus" has received well-deserved recognition in the world markets. We are known as a country with the production of natural, high-quality and tasty products from domestic raw materials. Our export drivers are cheeses and other dairy products, beef, poultry, sausages, canned MEAT and other processed products are also in high demand, the export of crop products, especially fresh vegetables and potatoes, is gaining momentum. And this is natural: quality issues are strictly controlled at the state level.
Over the past five years, food exports have increased by almost 30%. In 2021, $6.7 billion worth of food was supplied for export - 117.3% compared to 2020. This is a record figure compared to the annual values of previous years. Belarusian food was supplied to 109 countries of the world. Compared to 2020, 11 new markets have been developed: Cambodia, Kuwait, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Zambia, Congo, Antigua, Andorra, Iceland, San Marino, Slovenia.
Deliveries increased in almost all regions. Exports to the CIS countries (including RUSSIA) grew by 13%, to the countries of the European Union - by 43.7%, Asia and Oceania - by 47.1%, America and the Caribbean - by 42.1%. Export deliveries to some African countries increased: Ghana, Egypt, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Libya, Mauritania, Mali, Equatorial Guinea. In general, deliveries to non-CIS countries increased by 45.1% compared to 2020. The export of milk and dairy products, beef, sausages, fish and fish products, eggs, potatoes, rapeseed oil has grown.
As for our future plans, the goals and objectives are defined in the strategy for the development of exports of food products and agricultural raw materials for 2021-2025. We will continue to improve the competitiveness of Belarusian products in traditional and new foreign markets, diversify our product range, introduce innovative technologies in production, processing, storage, and develop marketing and logistics promotion.
Cooperation with China- Our country pays special attention to the development of strategic cooperation with China. How do Belarusian food producers feel in this market? What goods and in what volumes are supplied?
- The Chinese market is traditionally one of the main directions for the development of food exports for our country. In 2021, products worth $366.1 million were exported to China (an increase of 47.9% by 2020) . At the same time, in 2016, exports of food products to China amounted to $18.8 million. The main share in the formation of export growth is cut beef, milk powder and whey, chocolate and confectionery, whole milk and other products. In addition, supplies of starch, fruit jams and jelly, grain processing products (FLOUR confectionery and pasta, cereal flakes), and butter increased.
The results of foreign trade testify to the demand for Belarusian food products on the Chinese market and the effectiveness of the mechanisms used to sell products to China. Over the past five years, together with the Belarusian Embassy in China, we have managed to accredit 119 Belarusian enterprises for the right to supply agricultural products to the Chinese market.
- Are there prospects for further growth?
- China is a major consumer of many types of food products. According to the forecasts of international organizations, this trend will continue in the medium and long term. For our exporters, these are additional opportunities to diversify export commodity flows. It is worth considering the import dependence of the Chinese market for many food products, as well as a well-established scheme for passing accreditation for the right to export. In connection with all this, we plan to annually expand the range of products and increase the volume of deliveries in this direction.
We plan to supply more products already exported. In addition to the meat and dairy group, these are sugar, vegetable oils, fish products and others. In addition, we will develop the export of products that can be sold in retail chains in order to generate a steady demand for Belarusian goods (cheeses, yogurts, packaged milk).
food security- How does Belarus ensure food security in a pandemic?
- The President of Belarus clearly outlined the state position: agriculture, our food security and independence are the most important priorities for the country. Since 2010, the problem of food security has been completely solved in the country. Today our country has a good potential in the agricultural sector. We not only fully provide the population with food, but also entered the export-oriented economy, we are ready to offer large amounts of excess food for sale abroad.
And I dare to assure you that the products produced are more than enough. Belarus leads the EAEU in per capita production of meat and milk. For example, twice as much meat is produced per inhabitant of the country than in Russia and Kazakhstan. In terms of milk production per capita, Belarus is 2.5 times ahead of Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Russia - more than 3 times.
With the available raw materials in the whole country in 2021, the growth rate of food production at the level of 101.9% by 2020 is ensured. The greatest growth was achieved in the production of meat products, flour and cereals and dairy products.
- What measures are being taken to ensure that Belarusian consumers and processing enterprises do not experience any changes after the introduction of the food embargo?
- As I have already said, the need of the country's population for meat and dairy products is fully met by domestically produced products. In accordance with the doctrine of food security of Belarus until 2030, an optimistic level of food independence has been ensured for the main groups of goods of the meat and dairy industry. The level of self-sufficiency of the country increases from year to year and amounts to 134.9% for meat and 256% for milk. Meat production per capita in Belarus exceeds its average per capita consumption by 38.4%, milk and dairy products - by 3.4 times.
The committees on agriculture and food of the regional executive committees, regional associations of the meat and dairy industry were instructed to ensure the sale of products to the domestic market of the country at a level not lower than last year. Organizations-manufacturers of dairy and meat products are focused on ensuring the priority supply of manufactured products to the domestic market. Today, the share of sales of domestic products in retail turnover is: meat and meat products - 99.7%, including pork - 99.99%, beef - 99.2%, poultry meat - 99.95%, edible offal - 99 .8%, canned meat and offal - 95.3%, cheese - 91.7%, butter - 99.9%.
Dairy processing organizations of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food in 2021 processed 6.9 million tons of milk (100.9% by 2020). At the meat-packing plants of the ministry's system, 547.1 thousand tons of live weight (100.8%) were processed last year. Manufactured products are shipped according to submitted orders under direct supply contracts.
To ensure the capacity utilization of processing organizations and to maximize the production of sausages, prepared and canned meat products, work has been organized and is being carried out to attract raw materials from outside the country, including within the framework of the tariff quotas allocated by the decision of the EEC Board. The measures taken make it possible to meet the needs of the domestic market for meat and dairy products in full and in sufficient assortment in accordance with the requests of trading organizations.
Technologies- The SPC resolution outlines such tasks as increasing the competitiveness of the agro-industrial complex through strengthening the discipline of land use, the introduction of efficient technologies and digitalization. What has been achieved in these areas?
- The Ministry of Agriculture and Food is carrying out informatization of agriculture in accordance with the state program "Agricultural Business" for 2021-2025. Together with the National Center for Electronic Services and ROSSELKHOZNADZOR, information interaction of the automated information system "BELFITO" is being tested, which provides a mechanism for issuing and collecting information on phytosanitary certificates and acts of quarantine phytosanitary control (supervision) that is unified with Russia.
A national automated information system has been created for the formation, maintenance and use of a unified register of agricultural plant varieties approved for use in the territories of the EAEU member states, as well as a state information system for identification, registration, traceability of farm animals (herds), identification and traceability of products of animal origin GIS "AITS", in addition to which functional complexes have been developed: "AITS-Traceability" and "AITS-Vet safety".
Since 2021, active work has begun to prevent the use of illegal schemes for the movement of Belarusian products through the territory of Russia. By automatically generating transit notifications using AITS-Vetbezopasnost, a pilot project was implemented at the interstate level to ensure the accounting and control of the movement of controlled Belarusian-made goods from Belarus to recipients of the EAEU countries. Currently, active work is underway to integrate information systems with Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and China.
In addition, the website of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food contains information retrieval systems "Techservice" and "Vetsnab", which allow farmers to facilitate the search for spare parts for agricultural machinery and veterinary drugs offered by manufacturers and their dealers. In 2021, the concept of the digital platform "Precision Farming" was developed, the purpose of which is to provide information support, planning and business activities based on the operational management of technological processes in crop production. Work on informatization of the agricultural sector continues.
- What other new technologies are planned to be introduced in the agro-industrial complex?
- In recent years, the issue of using precision farming technologies and resource-saving technologies has been increasingly raised. In Belarus, elements of the precision farming system (parallel driving systems, GPS navigation, fuel consumption accounting systems) are being introduced. In 2021, spring sowing of spring grains and leguminous crops using elements of the precision farming system was carried out on 16% of the area, sowing of winter grains for grain - by 10%.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food in December 2021 held a meeting on the topic "Precision technologies in agriculture". The formation of a complex project of the future "Precision Farming" is considered. The issues of development and implementation of such technologies in the agro-industrial complex were discussed. The meeting was attended by heads and representatives of the State Committee for Science and Technology, the Ministry of Communications, the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the State Property Committee and other interested republican government bodies and other organizations of the country.
Investments- Another important topic is investments. How are things going with this in the agro-industrial complex?
- A feature of the state program "Agricultural Business" for 2021-2025 is the provision of a new type of state support - the provision of budget transfers to reimburse part of the capital costs of investment projects. This will encourage organizations to implement the project on time and reach its full design capacity, since only upon the completion of these activities will they be supported.
Budget transfers will be provided in two stages: upon commissioning of the investment object in full - 15% of the cost of capital expenditures excluding VAT on the investment project, upon reaching the full design capacity of the investment object - 10%. This type of state support can be applied for by entities implementing investment projects for the construction and reconstruction of dairy farms, as well as those classified as promising and significant investment projects in the agro-industrial complex.
In 2021, preferential loans were allocated to finance investment projects in the agro-industrial complex in accordance with the state program "Agricultural Business" for 2021-2025. On a competitive basis, the construction of dairy farms is being carried out. The winners of the competitive selection conducted by the Development Bank apply for state support in the form of budget transfers in the amount of 25% of the cost of fixed assets put into operation. Last year, the construction of 11 such facilities began, of which the construction of one dairy farm was completed with the receipt of a budget transfer for the first stage. In 2022, it is planned to start construction on 14 more investment projects that won the 2021 tender.
I also cannot fail to note the large-scale investment project being implemented by the Belarusian National Biotechnology Corporation. This is the first full-cycle agro-industrial production in Belarus. The project includes the construction and commissioning of a plant for the production of lysine, plants for the production of threonine and tryptophan, plants for the production of animal feed, a granary complex, a car factory, an administrative and amenity complex, a research laboratory, an electrical substation, a steam turbine plant, as well as facilities engineering and transport infrastructure. Today, construction work on agro-industrial production facilities, landscaping are being completed, installation and scrolling of technological equipment is being carried out. Construction work on amino acid production facilities is in the active phase,
Working conditions- Social issues are always relevant, including the provision of comfortable and safe conditions at the workplace and decent wages. How are things in the agricultural sector?
- The main thing that allows the agro-industrial complex to develop effectively is the specialists working in the industry, their dedication to their work, knowledge, professionalism and determination. Much has already been done at the state level to increase the prestige of work and motivation for living in rural areas. Agro-towns have been created - rural settlements with a developed social, engineering and transport infrastructure. There are also a number of regulatory legal acts aimed at securing personnel in the countryside. These are decrees of the HEAD of state and government decrees on wages, providing soft loans to young professionals for the purchase of household goods and essential goods, deferment from conscription for military service for the period of work in the territory of radioactive contamination and service in reserve,
In addition, the tariff agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Belarusian Trade Union of Agro-Industrial Complex Workers and the Republican Agro-Industrial Union "BelAPS" provides for additional measures aimed at retaining personnel. Among them, the allocation of funds by agricultural organizations in order to compensate for the costs of renting residential premises. Also among these measures is the provision of loans to young families from the funds of the organization, loans for the construction or purchase of housing, the purchase of durable items for household use, for training on a paid basis in the specialties that the organization needs.
On an ongoing basis, work is underway to ensure comfortable and safe working conditions. This allows you to save the most important thing - the life and HEALTH of workers. First of all, due to the proper level of knowledge in matters of labor protection for everyone without exception. At the same time, work is underway to maintain equipment in good condition, provide employees with the necessary amount of personal and collective protection equipment, and primary fire extinguishing equipment.
To prevent occupational injuries, safety months are held annually: in March (during spring field work), in May (during fodder harvesting) and in July (during harvesting). Managers and specialists of agribusiness organizations undergo retraining and advanced training, training programs include issues of labor protection, labor legislation, fire and industrial safety. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food holds training seminars, a republican review competition has been organized for the best organization of work on labor protection.
BELTA.