Aleksey Gordeev: Russia is interested in increasing the share of Belarusian food deliveries so as to reduce volume of import from far abroad countries

“Russia is interested in increasing the share of Belarusian food deliveries so as to reduce the volume of import from far abroad countries,” said Aleksey Gordeev, Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, at the meeting with the Prime Minister of Belarus Sergey Sidorski that took place in Minsk.

“Russia is interested in increasing the share of Belarusian food deliveries so as to reduce the volume of import from far abroad countries,” said Aleksey Gordeev, Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, at the meeting with the Prime Minister of Belarus Sergey Sidorski that took place in Minsk.

In particular, Aleksey Gordeev said that “Belarus is one of our (Russia’s – n. soyuz.by) key partners”. “In some areas it accounts for a sizable share of Russia’s food import,” he stated and added that as a matter of fact Russia is interested in increasing this share reducing the volume of import from far abroad countries.

Aleksey Gordeev also noted that this interest is not in the least influenced by any political reasons, yet by the fact that “it is our habitual food”. At the same time he noted that Belarusian food “is naturally of high quality and meets all our process, sanitary and hygienic requirements”.

Commenting upon the joint meeting of the two countries’ agrarian boards, Russian Minister of Agriculture stressed that this event “would go down in history of Belarusian-Russian relations”.

What is more, he noted that “even the thorniest problems related to trade” were discussed quite calmly. Aleksey Gordeev stressed that both parties “hold completely the same approach” to pressing problems. The Minister informed that such board meetings were decided to be held annually.

Aleksey Gordeev also paid attention to the fact that “integration of the Russian Federation with Belarus, political background of coordination as well as trade and economic cooperation should serve as a basis and an example for EurAsEC formation”. “In this respect, agrarian policy is an important tool which can influence the development of the society on the whole. Therefore, it should set a good example for other economic sectors”.