Belarus plans to boost agricultural exports to $7 bln-$10 bln per year
KHOLMECH. July 16 (Interfax) - Belarus intends over the next five years to boost its agricultural exports to 7 billion-10 billion per year, Belarusian Alexander Lukashenko told journalists on Friday during a working visit to the Gomel Region.
"We will receive over $3 billion this year from exports of agricultural products. In the next five years, up to $7 billion-$10 billion," Lukashenko said.
He expressed the opinion that "prices for food products in the world will increase constantly". Lukashenko stressed the Belarus should organize its harvest, as well as store and sell its prepared production at a "respectable price".
"We should start mass harvesting in the country on the 20th [of July]. The harvest is very good for all crops without exception. If the weather does not get rose, we will produce 10 million tonnes of grain. This is around 9.5 million tonnes excluding corn," Lukashenko said, adding that is the corn harvest comes to over 1 million tonnes, the aforementioned figures will be increased.
It was earlier reported that Belarus' gross grain harvest in 2009 came to 9 million tonnes, down from 9.3 million tonnes in 2008.