Food provided a fifth of Belarusian exports of goods in 2020

February 26, MINSK / Corr. BELTA/. Food in 2020 provided a fifth of Belarusian exports of goods. This was announced by the Minister of Agriculture and Food of Belarus Ivan Krupko during the final meeting of the collegium of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, BelTA has learned.

"The EXPORT of agricultural products and food products in 2020 increased by 4.3% to $5.8 billion compared to 2019, providing an increase of about 37% over the five-year period. The positive foreign trade balance from $155 million in 2016 increased to $1.5 billion in 2020, while ensuring a decrease in imports by 2019 by more than $400 million. The share of exports of agricultural products and food products in the total exports of Belarus in 2020 almost reached 20% and increased by more than 3% compared to 2019," Ivan Krupko said.

Belarusian food producers supplied products to 116 countries of the world, including the countries of the Eurasian Economic and European Unions, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, South and North America.

The minister also noted the high performance of last year in terms of the growth rate of gross agricultural output. In farms of all categories by 2019, it amounted to 104.9%, in agricultural organizations - 106.9%. The growth of agricultural production was ensured by all regions of Belarus. "However, Brest (122%), Minsk (118%) and Grodno (114%) regions made the greatest contribution to the results of the industry over the five-year period. Positive dynamics takes place in Mogilev (107%) and Vitebsk (106%) regions. Only Gomel the region did not provide a cumulative increase over the five-year period, reducing the level of production (97.7%)," the minister informed.