Aleksey Gordeev: conceptualization of a uniform agricultural policy within the Union State could favour more intensive cooperation between Belarus and Russia

“Conceptualization of a uniform agricultural policy within the Union State could favour more intensive cooperation between our countries,” said Aleksey Gordeev, Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, at the joint board of Russian Ministry of Agriculture and Belarusian Ministry of Agriculture and Food which took place in Minsk.

“Conceptualization of a uniform agricultural policy within the Union State could favour more intensive cooperation between our countries,” said Aleksey Gordeev, Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, at the joint board of Russian Ministry of Agriculture and Belarusian Ministry of Agriculture and Food which took place in Minsk.

Aleksey Gordeev noted that the development of Union State agrarian complex should follow the path of harmonizing the means of rendering government assistance to agricultural producers, creating favourable conditions for expanding reciprocal trade and trade with third countries, developing the system of crediting and agrarian leasing as well as establishing a uniform information system.

At the same time the Head of Ministry of Agriculture stressed that the purport of the boards’ joint sitting is to ensure that “during present financial crisis both countries do not lose the dynamics of cooperation in agro-food sector, while in some other areas even accelerate their development”.

“In order to widen time horizon of the situation on agricultural markets of the two countries in 2008, the specialists have made up 5-year joint balances of supply and demand on meat, milk and sugar which should become a key step towards the resolution of pressing problems concerning reciprocal trade in agricultural production and food,” said Mr. Gordeev.

We should remind you that Belarus and Russia have been making up joint annual balances of supply and demand on meat, milk, fish produce, eggs, sugar, vegetable oil and flax since 1997.

According to A.Gordeev, this year agricultural turnover between Belarus and Russia will amount to $2.5 billion. At the same time he noted that foreign trade between the two countries is characterized by the credit balance of Russia. Considering the total volume of Russia’s import of food and agricultural raw produce in 1997, Belarusian share made up about 5.5% per cent (which is $1.8 billion).