Vitebsk JSC "Moloko" is expanding its milk sales markets

June 14, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. Open Joint Stock Company "Moloko" (Vitebsk) has begun work on diversifying dairy product sales markets, as reported by Yuri Bolotin, First Deputy General Director of the joint-stock company, in an interview with a BELTA correspondent. According to him, the Central Asian market is interested in the products of the Vitebsk dairy plant. Currently, the enterprise is negotiating with Kazakh and Chinese buyers. A similar meeting is planned with businessmen from Kyrgyzstan in the near future. Although OJSC "Moloko" had an established dealer network in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Smolensk, and other cities of the Russian Federation, the search for new sales markets was a forced measure in response to Rospotrebnadzor's ban on the import of Belarusian dairy products. Annually, $30 million worth of whole milk products, cheese, and butter were supplied to Russian consumers. Based on the results of January-May, the joint-stock company increased exports by 20% compared to the same period last year. However, as of June 7, shipments to the Russian Federation have been suspended, as Russian customs officials have a letter signed by the Director of the Federal Customs Service with instructions to allow products into the Russian Federation if the accompanying documents bear the mark of an authorized Rospotrebnadzor official. "However, officials do not make such marks, citing instructions from their management," the source said. As Yuri Bolotin noted, the demand for Vitebsk products was due to their high quality. Specifically, to ensure that Russian consumers received fresh milk and sour cream, the enterprise switched to night shipments of whole milk products, which were on the shelves of Russian stores within 8 hours. It is noteworthy that buyers highly appreciated the care of Belarusian producers. According to the source, OJSC "Moloko" no longer received letters of thanks from Russian buyers with surprise. However, after June 7, the enterprise began to receive different letters – with requests to resume supplies as soon as possible. -0-