The agro-industrial complexes of Belarus and Russia should be mutually complementary each other, Minister of Agriculture and Food of Belarus Semyon Shapiro told a press conference for Russian and Belarusian reporters. 

There is a Union State food supply programme, the minister reminded. “We are working for each other, our economies are integrated,” he stressed. 

According to the minister, it is time the two countries started agriculture integration. In line with the demand/supply balance, delivers 2.8 million tonnes of milk to Russia . Russia ’s requirements in meat are 9 million tonnes. Only 6 million tonnes are made in the country. Belarus can supply 100,000 tones. This is not much for the balance, the minister said. According to him, and need to develop meat industries on the basis of mutual interests, to encourage the development of farms in the two countries. Thus there is a need for regular reviews of the food balances of the Union State so that the two countries do not interfere with each other but complement each other. 

Semyon Shapiro informed that understanding has been found in this issue with the Agriculture Minister of Russia . “We do not want to interfere with each other. Russian and Belarusian producers will complement each other,” he added. 

The Agriculture Minister of also informed that the agriculture ministries of and are going to have a joint session in September to discuss the level of harmonization of state support of producers.

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