Deputy PM updates MPs on efforts to upgrade Belarus' processing industry
Belarus' Deputy Prime Minister Leonid Zayats informed MPs about the efforts to upgrade and retool the processing industry as he spoke at a joint meeting of the two chambers of the Belarusian parliament, BelTA has learned.
Leonid Zayats noted: “Despite the stable operation of processing companies, it is necessary to keep increasing the competitiveness of domestic goods in order to stay competitive in world markets. One of the main areas of work is to find more suppliers of raw materials and to increase the quantity and quality of processed agricultural raw materials,” Leonid Zayats said.
According to him, another important area of work is the upgrade of the processing industry. There are plans to upgrade and retool production facilities that make cheese, whole milk products, dry dairy products (whey and whey products). The goal is to expand the assortment, improve the product quality, launch new products, introduce new packaging solutions, the deputy prime minister noted.
“In addition to that, the Bellakt dairy company from Grodno Oblast is set to build a new innovative workshop to produce baby food that meets the toughest standards of Asian countries. Minsk Dairy Plant No. 1 has plans to implement import-substituting projects to produce elite cheeses (with blue and white mold) and to double its production capacity. The Babushkina Krynka dairy company is going to launch the production of lactose-free dairy products using an innovative membrane technology,” added Leonid Zayats.
As far as meat processing is concerned, the export growth in the sector can be achieved through the upgrade and technical re-equipment of primary processing facilities that allow ritual slaughter, separation and isolation of technological flows by type of processed raw materials. Such a project has already been implemented at Orsha Meat Canning Plant and is planned to be launched at several other enterprises of the country.
As part of the import substitution efforts, there are plans to upgrade sausage and culinary shops at all meat processing companies of the country. This implies the production of pre-portioned meats using vacuum and modified gas environment, Leonid Zayats added. “A separate area of work is production of dry-cured meats similar to jamon, prosciutto, Parma ham, etc. (Grodno Meat Packing Plant, Slonim Meat Packing Plant, Borisov Meat Packing Plant, Mogilev Meat Packing Plant). In addition to that, domestic companies bought the necessary equipment and learned to produce some uncommon meat products (meat chips, molded products, sausages made from various raw materials in natural and artificial casings), Leonid Zayats said.
The feed industry is incorporating modern technologies in feed production. New production facilities are under construction. “A powerful export boost will be given after the implementation of the investment project to launch high-tech full-cycle agro-industrial production facility in 2016-2032. The Belarusian National Biotechnology Corporation (BNBC) has launched the production of amino acids with the capacity of 86,000 tonnes per year and about 900,000 tonnes of feed. The total volume is about 1 million tonnes,” the vice-premier informed.
This will be enough to fully meet the needs of the domestic market and to supply a significant amount of these products to other countries. “The production of compound feed and premixes for pigs, cattle, poultry and fish, including valuable fish species, has also been launched. All production facilities have been put into operation, and a phased commissioning is being carried out,” Leonid Zayats said.
In recent years, large-scale upgrade projects have also been implemented in the sugar, confectionery, fat-and-oil, and canning industries. “New production facilities have been created, the product assortment has been refreshed and expanded, and the export potential has been significantly boosted,” the deputy prime minister added.