EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Belarusian agribusiness operators, who will carry out projects outlined by the government program on agribusiness development in Belarus in 2016-2020, will get state support in the form of preferential loans. The statement was made by Prime Minister of Belarus Andrei Kobyakov during the session of the Council of Ministers Presidium held on 2 February to discuss agriculture development prospects, BelTA has learned.
Andrei Kobyakov said that Belarusian agribusiness companies, which will carry out projects outlined by the government program, will be granted preferential loans for the sake of implementing effective projects that will have to be selected via contests. The existing practices of preferential lending will be preserved. The government intends to grant 100% compensations to projects in dairy cattle husbandry, vegetable farming, potato farming, fruit farming, and fish farming. 50% compensations were promised to projects involving big breeding, poultry farming, artificial selection and seed farming, retooling, and manufacturing of agricultural products.
Andrei Kobyakov underlined that the government program will have to stipulate economically advisable agricultural output figures taking into account the domestic demand and effective export. He mentioned 10 million tonnes of grain as an example. The figure has to be justified taking into account the capacity of the domestic market as well as the export potential of the dairy and meat industries and their demand for forage.
According to the Prime Minister, it is advisable to raise the export potential of milk and dairy products up to 5.9 million tonnes and that of meat and meat products up to 376,000 tonnes only if quality parameters are improved, the competitive ability is secured, and foreign target markets are diversified.
Andrei Kobyakov pointed out that the agriculture development programs that were in progress in 2005-2015 were of utmost importance for resolving the food problem. They also helped greatly increase the country's self-reliance with regard to staple agricultural products and foods. They also helped form the export potential.