MINSK, July 5. /TASS/. Belarusian farmers will try to consolidate their positions on Russia’s food market after the pandemic-triggered economic slump is over, Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Subbotin said on Sunday.

"Main focus is made on Russia. Common approaches to packaging, common approaches to food preferences, so, we will spare no effort to secure a stronghold on this market and will spare no effort to retain the segment we are no having, and even expand it," he said in an interview with the Belarus 1 television channel.

Nevertheless, in his words, Belarus is trying to diversify its exports. "Our products are known in almost 100 countries. We should be more rational about exports to look for more beneficial terms," Subbotin said. "We should be guided by considerations of economic expediency."

Belarus’ food exports in 2019 stood at 5.5 billion US dollars. Food exports to Russia increased by three percent on 2018 and reached 4.3 billion US dollars.