Belarus, Moldova sign cooperation agreement in agriculture
MINSK, 7 June (BelTA) – The Agriculture and Food Ministry of Belarus and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry of Moldova concluded an agreement on economic and sci-tech cooperation through 2015. The document was signed by Agriculture and Food Minister of Belarus Mikhail Rusyi and his Moldovan counterpart Vasile Bumacov in Minsk on 6 June, BelTA has learnt.
“We have outlined primary areas of cooperation in the agricultural sector for the next five years. We made considerable headway in the previous years. Our cooperation should enter a more specific and qualitative phase during the next five years,” Mikhail Rusyi said after the talks.
The two states plan to expand cooperation in crop production, horticulture in particular, and maize selection between the NASB Center for Agriculture and the Moldovan Center Porumben. Moldova is ready to cultivate parent hybrid maize seeds with high genetic potential for Belarus. Belarus conducts audit tests on hydrides produced in Moldova. Among the promising areas of cooperation Mikhail Rusyi pointed to the production of elite sugar beet and alfalfa seeds as well as multiplication of elite vegetable seeds of the Belarusian selection in Moldova. “We have agreed to cooperate in technological issues, i.e. cultivation of maize seeds, fruit and berry crops,” the minister stated. The two ministries will continue cooperation in cattle breeding, food industry, agriculture engineering, education sciences, and personnel training and retraining.
The agreement will help expand direct economic, production and sci-tech contacts between agricultural companies and research institutes of Belarus and Moldova. The document will set up a necessary legal framework for cooperation between the agriculture ministries of Belarus and Moldova and will promote business relations between sectoral economic agents.
“Belarus is a reliable trading partner for Moldova. We work as business partners complementing each other,” Vasile Bumacov noted. Moldova is Belarus’ traditional supplier of fresh and tinned vegetables and fruits, wines and cognacs, maize seeds, sunflower oil and seeds, extraction cake and tobacco. Belarusian agricultural equipment is in high demand in Moldova.
The Moldovan official stated that his country is interested in Belarusian experience in cattle breeding and animal science. Moldovan specialists are ready to adopt Belarusian experience in the construction of dairies.
In his words, “we have a lot of joint projects and we would like to continue them during the next five years”. It applies to cooperation winemaking and supplies of Moldovan wine stock to Belarus, selection of agriculture crops.
In 2010 the companies of the Agriculture and Food Ministry of Belarus exported $6.281 million worth of products to Moldova, up 5% over 2009. Belarus’ main exports are milk and cream, butter, wheat flour, cheese, curd, buttermilk, yogurts and eggs. Belarus purchased nearly 10% of Moldovan export of fresh and tinned fruit and vegetables (Moldova’s second biggest trading partner after Russia). Belarus accounted for almost one fourth of Moldovan export of wine products (44.3 million decaliters). Last year Belarus supplied $4.4 million worth of dairy products to Moldova. Belarus also exported fish products, snacks, rye flour, brewer’s malt, confectionary, salt.
In January-March this year the export of agricultural products to Moldova totaled $1.494 million, or 82% as against the same months a year ago.