Belarus accounts for nearly half of mutual food trade in EAEU

Belarus accounts for nearly half of mutual trade in foodstuffs in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Member of the Board (Minister) for Industry and Agriculture of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) Artak Kamalyan told BelTA.

“The share of the Republic of Belarus in the total volume of mutual trade in food products is about 43%. Around 93% of Belarusian food export goes to the Russian Federation, the remaining 7% is exported to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia. The main export items are cheese and cottage cheese, butter, condensed and dry milk and cream, non-condensed milk and cream, fermented milk products, beef, poultry meat, prepared or canned fish, rapeseed oil. They accounted for approximately 64% of the total volume in monetary terms in 2021,” Artak Kamalyan said.

Speaking about self-sufficiency in foodstuffs, the EEC minister said that Belarus is head of other EAEU member states in this regard. “Our countries fully meet domestic needs in grain, pork, vegetables and potatoes, vegetable oils, sugar and eggs. There is a lack of only fruits and berries. The level of self-sufficiency in basic agricultural products and staple foods stands at 93% If we break it down, we will see that Belarus boasts the highest self-sufficiency rate (94%). It is followed by Russia (90%), Kazakhstan (83%), Kyrgyzstan (81%) and Armenia (73%),” Artak Kamalyan said.

“Our states are working together to strengthen food security. In particular, in order to maintain the balance in the common market, short-term balances of supply and demand for basic agricultural products and foodstuffs are developed in the EAEU every year. In addition, general principles and approaches to ensure food security have been approved. This is an important step towards the formation of real mechanisms for stabilizing the food market, ensuring uninterrupted supplies, as well as removing barriers and restrictions in the common Eurasian agricultural market,” Artak Kamalyan emphasized.