Belarusian agricultural companies intend to boost the export of foods to Moscow by 10% annually to reach $700 million by 2013, Tamara Usacheva, the deputy head of the foreign and economic activity department of the Belarus Ministry of Agriculture and Food, told BelTA.

 

The volume of food deliveries for 2008 will be fulfilled. At present, the sides are discussing the plans for the next year. This issue was discussed at a session of the working group of the Moscow Government Food Department and the Belarus Ministry of Agriculture and Food on November 24. On November 25, this issue will be considered at a session of the Belarus-Moscow Business Cooperation Council.

 

Over the nine months this year, the Belarusian agricultural companies supplied goods to Moscow at the amount of $378.8 million, or 35% up over the same period last year. In the period under review, Belarus supplied foods at the amount of $342.6 million, or 32.4% up as against January-September 2007. The share of Moscow in the total export of Belarus' food to the Russian Federation is more than 34%. In 2008, the Belarusian agricultural companies increased the supplies of pork 2.5 times, beef – 1.2 times, dry fat-free milk – 1.8 times, vegetables – 3.2 times. At the same time, they downed the supplies of cheese, butter, dry whole milk.

 

Apart from traditional foods, the Belarusian agricultural companies are ready to offer smoked meat and semi-finished products, sausages.

 

The Belarusian agricultural companies are constantly developing the commodity distribution network that allow them to increase the supplies of food to the Moscow market. At present, there are 6 trading houses, 5 trading representations, 3 stores, 14 dealer and distribution centres of the Belarusian agricultural companies in Moscow.