Russia: WTO membership open new prospects for Belarus

Agriculture and Food Minister of Belarus Leonid Zayats assured that Russia’s WTO accession would not affect Belarusian supplies to its neighbor. “The variety of end-use products will not reduce at the Russian market. We will increase the supplies of dairy and meat products, make them more diverse, to enrich the food market of the Russian Federation,” he said. The minister added that it will be done taking into account the interests of Russian producers.

“Simultaneously the countries will work on a strategy of joint companies for the production of goods destined for the markets of third countries,” Leonid Zayats said. In his words, work has been already launched in this direction. Thus, a delegation of Amur Oblast led by its Governor paid a visit to Belarus not long ago to define key moments for integration of the economies of the regions with an aim at developing new markets, first of all, China, Far East, others.

Leonid Zayats noted that the sides had already signed agreements to construct new dairy farms in Amur Oblast as well as grain drying, processing and storing facilities.

“We should understand that we live in one Union State where there should be no divisions in what regards the food market. We should learn to operate in the WTO conditions, provide quality product to our consumer in the Union State,” Leonid Zayats said.