EAEU set task of import substitution on common market of food products

MINSK, June 7. /TASS/. The countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) set the task of import substitution on their common market of food products, Belarus’ Agriculture Minister Leonid Zayats said on Tuesday.

He was speaking before a section meeting at the 3rd Forum of regions of Russia and Belarus. The forum is attended by representatives of 43 regions and 12 governors

"Our task today - this concerns the whole market of EAEU including Belarus and Russia - is to do our best to protect the products which are imported to our common market," Zayats said.

He added that currently products worth $45 bln are imported to the EAEU market.

According to him, Belarusian and Russian food markets should complement each other.

"The heads of Russia and Belarus signed documents that make it possible to promote products to the market without any restrictions," the minister said.

According to Russia’s Deputy Agriculture Minister Sergey Levin, one of the important tasks for the future is to agree on balances of the supply of food products between the two countries. "We are currently working in market conditions, but over the years forecast balances have proven to be reliable. It is a very reliable tool in order to plan production in our countries, to balance the market and keep the situation stable," he said.

This year, Belarus food supplies to the Russian market will include 390,000 tonnes of meat and meat products, 4 million tonnes of milk and dairy products.

"If in the future it is necessary to increase the supply at the request of the Russian Federation, we will do this. Just like it was done when an embargo on the delivery of European goods was imposed," the Belarusian minister said.