export,
dairy
Belarus reduces the share of dairy exports to Russia
The share of Russia in the total volume of exports of Belarusian dairy products is gradually decreasing, the supplies are diversified to the market of CIS countries and far abroad, Head of Department for Foreign Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Belarus Alexey Bogdanov said on Wednesday in Minsk.
«In 2015, the share of Russian market accounted for 96.6% of total exports of dairy products. But life dictates its conditions. Our Russian colleagues increase milk production every next year, Rosselkhoznadzor introduces restrictions on supply of Belarusian dairy products. As a result, there is reorientation of trade flows», — said A. Bogdanov during IV Export Forum «The Dairy Belarus».
«As a result, in 2017 the share of Russian market has decreased by 6% comparing to 2016 and amounted 90.3% — this is the lowest figure for the last five years,» he said.
A. Bogdanov specified that by January—February 2018 results of this share reduced by 7%.
«On the one hand, the decline in the share of exports to Russia does not yet give rise to the assertion of a significant reorientation of commodity flows, but at the same time it points to the existing potential opportunities and prospects for diversifying exports of dairy products,»— said the representative of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
«In 2017, with the increase in the share of exports of fresh dairy products, fats, cheeses, cottage cheese and other finished products, the supply of dried milk dropped significantly, from 20% in 2016 to 13.7% in the last year,»— he said.
Along with this A. Bogdanov noted the growth of supplies of Belarusian dairy products to CIS countries (except Russia). «The share of these countries in 2017 was 7.7% and increased by 4% comparing to 2016. And during first two months of this year it grew by 6%», — he said. In general, dairy exports to CIS countries in 2017 was $165.3 million, in January—February 2018 it was $32.6 million, said A. Bogdanov.
«One hundred percent coverage of CIS countries has been achieved. The most active is dairy trade with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan and Ukraine», — he added.
According to A. Bogdanov, exports of Belarusian dairy products to non—CIS countries in 2017 was maximum for the last five years — $43 million, and it was formed mainly due to supply of dried milk and butter. The share of these countries in total exports of dairy products was 2%. «In the current year, we expect continuation of the growing trend in the markets of foreign countries,» said Head of the Main Department of Foreign Economic Activity.