18.04.2012
Lukashenko believes marble meat production promising for Belarus
MINSK, 18 April (BelTA) – President Alexander Lukashenko believes the production of marble meat can be a profitable project for Belarus. The Belarusian leader made this statement as he met with Premier Mikhail Myasnikovich to receive his report on 17 April, BelTA learnt from the presidential press service.
“I see the issue provokes giggling. Today a meal with marble meat in Moscow, not Europe, costs $45 in a restaurant. We can sell it for $15. It is profitable since we buy meat at $2 per kilo from our farms. But we have not created necessary conditions yet. People complain that it is still unprofitable. Good breeds have been imported. The expenditure is too high. They have to sell meat at $2 per kilo. Why? Because we lack proper processing technologies and markets. Today Russia witnesses an increasing demand for this meat. I am sure Belarus will be quick in understanding its good properties. In Pripyat there is a lot of idle land which can be used for pasture. Moreover, the cattle does not require any special housing conditions,” the head of state said.
“Livestock is a good business. That is why I gave orders to give a boost to it, create cattle. But we still need processing and marketing technologies otherwise we will lose what we have achieved so far,” the President noted.
Not long ago the President instructed Vice Premier Mikhail Rusyi to address the issue. He urged to build a meat processing plant in Polesye and adopt European packaging technologies. “We can sell a part of it to Minsk restaurants and export the rest, to Russia, for instance. This is a good business for our farms,” the President added.
“This is just one example. There are a lot of other projects that can be implemented. The Netherlands, for instance, earns up to $15 billion selling its farm produce. We have set forth a task to reach $7 billion in agricultural sales by the end of the ongoing five-year period. We can do just as well as the Netherlands. We even have more favorable conditions for this,” Alexander Lukashenko said.
“I see the issue provokes giggling. Today a meal with marble meat in Moscow, not Europe, costs $45 in a restaurant. We can sell it for $15. It is profitable since we buy meat at $2 per kilo from our farms. But we have not created necessary conditions yet. People complain that it is still unprofitable. Good breeds have been imported. The expenditure is too high. They have to sell meat at $2 per kilo. Why? Because we lack proper processing technologies and markets. Today Russia witnesses an increasing demand for this meat. I am sure Belarus will be quick in understanding its good properties. In Pripyat there is a lot of idle land which can be used for pasture. Moreover, the cattle does not require any special housing conditions,” the head of state said.
“Livestock is a good business. That is why I gave orders to give a boost to it, create cattle. But we still need processing and marketing technologies otherwise we will lose what we have achieved so far,” the President noted.
Not long ago the President instructed Vice Premier Mikhail Rusyi to address the issue. He urged to build a meat processing plant in Polesye and adopt European packaging technologies. “We can sell a part of it to Minsk restaurants and export the rest, to Russia, for instance. This is a good business for our farms,” the President added.
“This is just one example. There are a lot of other projects that can be implemented. The Netherlands, for instance, earns up to $15 billion selling its farm produce. We have set forth a task to reach $7 billion in agricultural sales by the end of the ongoing five-year period. We can do just as well as the Netherlands. We even have more favorable conditions for this,” Alexander Lukashenko said.