Belarus hopes to increase food exports to Russia - minister
MINSK. Aug 7 (Interfax) - Belarus and Russia plan to discuss issues concerning Belarusian food exports to the Russian market next week, Belarusian Agriculture and Food Minister Leonid Zayats said in a telephone interview with the Selskaya Gazeta newspaper.
"I have spoken to head of Rosselkhoznadzor [Russian agricultural watchdog] Sergei Dankvert over the phone. He is going to visit Belarus next week in order to discuss all issues surrounding deliveries of Belarusian food to the Russian market," Zayats said, when commenting on Russia's August 6 ban on a number of imports from countries that have imposed sanctions on Moscow.
Belarus has every chance to significantly increase its food exports to the Russian market, the minister said.
"We are analyzing our possibility in terms of how we can further increase last year's volume and how we can expand the range of our exports. I am speaking about pasta, vegetables, groceries and confectionary products, as well as, certainly meat and dairy products," he said.