Nizhny Novgorod Oblast keen on Minsk Oblast agricultural upgrade projects

MINSK, 3 April (BelTA) – Nizhny Novgorod Oblast shows keen interest in the practices applied in agricultural modernization in Minsk Oblast, Governor of this Russian region Valery Shantsev said as he met with Minsk Oblast Governor Boris Batura on 3 April.

Valery Shantsev stressed that the two regions have a great potential for developing cooperation in many areas, among which agricultural production, food and processing industry are of the biggest interest. “Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, the same as Minsk Oblast, is actively modernizing its companies including agricultural farms. But it is the quality not the pace that is important here. We are interested in the practices Minsk Oblast use to construct turn-key industrial farms with the installation of all necessary equipment,” he said.

Boris Batura noted that the Belarusian-Italian joint company Unibox implements projects on construction dairy farms in Minsk Oblast. “In April-May some 16 of them will be put into operation. With a prepared site the farm is constructed within a week. It comprises two sheds and a fully-equipped milking parlor for 680 head,” the Minsk Oblast governor said.

The head of the Russian region noted the need for increasing meat supplies from Minsk Oblast. Boris Batura explained that the pig-breeding industry fully satisfies Minsk Oblast needs in meat and is ready to expand exports. Every year Minsk Oblast produces nearly 130,000 tonnes of beef and 100,000 tonnes of pork. “We have been consistently upgrading the pig-breeding sector. We are set to introduce seven new pig-breeding farms in H1 2013. We have a total of nearly 800,000 pigs, of them 60% are kept in pig-breeding complexes, the rest – at small commodity production farms,” Boris Batura said.

Speaking about cooperation in crop production, Valery Shantsev praised the Belarusian agricultural equipment: “We plan to purchase 150 Polesie combine harvesters every year. They are optimal in price and quality.”

Valery Shantsev also noted that at the meeting the two sides had outlined concrete steps to develop cooperation. Boris Batura showed interest in all round cooperation between the two regions. “The amount of mutual trade is unsatisfactory. New cooperation areas should make the approaches to its increase more concrete,” he said.

In 2012 the trade between Minsk Oblast and Nizhny Novgorod Oblast totaled $98.7 million, up 6.9% on 2011. Minsk Oblast exports made up $53 million, imports - $45.6 million. Last year the main imports to the Russian region included truck and tractor component parts, electrical equipment for combustion engines, furniture, sugar, bread, pastry and other products. Supplies of refrigerators, cheese, curd, butter and meat reduced in 2012. Minsk Oblast mainly imported products made of ferrous metals, automobile vehicles from Nizhny Novgorod Oblast.