Belarus will build logistics for potato exports to neighboring countries

August 23, Tolochin District /Olga Belyavskaya - BELTA/. Belarus will build a logistics system for exporting potatoes to neighboring countries. This was stated today to journalists by the Prime Minister of Belarus, Mikhail Myasnikovich, in response to a question from a BELTA correspondent.

"We in the government are considering the issue of creating logistics, for example, in neighboring countries, to build storage facilities in Russia and other states and then store potatoes from autumn and sell them during the off-season," the Prime Minister said.

According to Mikhail Myasnikovich, Belarusian agrarians need to revise their approaches to organizing potato supplies to other countries. "You need to know how to sell potatoes," he stressed. "Selling them in bulk, as it was before, means trading at a loss." The head of government added that potatoes need to be brought to a marketable condition, and the volume of their deep processing should be increased. "With industrial processing, there will not be such a great need for potato storage," he said.

The Prime Minister noted that the main thing now is not so much to produce a large yield, but to preserve the potatoes. "Demand for this crop will grow," is confident Mikhail Myasnikovich. He said that this year the areas under potatoes have been increased by 20%. "The potato crop this year is good, the main task is to harvest and preserve it qualitatively," he emphasized. "In accordance with the plans, we are meeting this year's target." At the same time, some issues in potato growing remain unresolved. For example, a number of regions have delayed projects for the construction and commissioning of new potato storage facilities. In this regard, the Prime Minister demanded that the construction of such facilities be completed within one to two months to ensure a high level of storage for the agricultural crop. "This year, not only seed potatoes, but all commercial potatoes should be stored in the facilities," he added. Moreover, such facilities should ensure a high level of potato storage. "We need to move towards this, so that all potatoes are preserved until the new harvest," said Mikhail Myasnikovich. "If the storage is good, then exports are possible during the winter-spring period, especially when potato prices rise." The head of government stressed that for the successful sale of potatoes to other countries, farms need not only a competent marketing policy, but also a high level of potato storage.-0-