Lukashenko views global food insecurity as chance for Belarus' agriculture
The current situation on the global food market is a chance for Belarus' agricultural sector, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said during his working trip to Postavy District, Vitebsk Oblast on 5 August, BelTA has learned.
“We discussed in detail the importance of this year's harvest campaign for Belarus at the last meeting. Issues were identified (there were many of them in Vitebsk Oblast, Gomel Oblast and Mogilev Oblast), and concrete solutions were proposed,” Aleksandr Lukashenko reminded.
Tasks were set for the Agriculture and Food Ministry, as well as the entire power vertical - from governors to heads of district administrations.
“Of course, we will fully meet the needs of the domestic market and the needs of agriculture in animal feed. We will produce all this. We will feed people, feed animals. Yet, given the current food shortages in the global market, this is a chance for our agriculture to significantly grow our exports,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “Export is not only about sales. We will make sure consumers in our new markets, in our old markets will get used to our products. And when a customer gets the taste of a Belarusian product, he/she will see how good this product is and will come back for more,” the president noted.
In order to make the most of this opportunity, it is necessary to focus on selling finished products with high added value, rather than raw materials, the head of state stressed. “And it is necessary to deal with these issues, including now, when the harvest campaign is underway and we can hardly think about anything else,” he added. “At the height of the harvest campaign, every day, every hour counts, there are no days off. We need to harvest crops in an efficient and timely manner. I'll tell you like a peasant: we need to cross the midpoint no matter what. As soon as we do that, the next steps will be easier for us both psychologically and physically. And for this we need discipline and responsibility,” he added.