Republic

Lukashenko: Belarus should fully meet domestic demand for sunflower oil by 2015

KALINKOVICHI DISTRICT, 17 August (BelTA) – Belarus should fully meet the domestic demand for sunflower oil by 2015, President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said as he visited the Kutuzov agricultural company in Kalinkovichi District, Gomel Oblast, on 17 August, BelTA has learnt. The head of state was informed that the country needs 50,000 tonnes of sunflower oil to completely substitute the import of this product. “If we know how to grow sunflowers and if we need them, we should expand the capacities,” the President said. “We need to produce 50,000 tonnes of sunflower oil, after all, it makes economic sense,” he added. This year Belarus is expected to harvest about 20,000 tonnes of soy that is mostly used as fodder. Belarus also produces small amounts of flaxseed oil; however, it is not very popular on the market. The country also makes rapeseed oil that sells well abroad, while is not in big demand on the home market. An exhibition of oil and fat products made in Gomel Oblast was arranged for the President. The exhibition featured oils, mayonnaise, margarine and soap. The head of state was shown equipment used to harvest sunflowers. At present sunflowers are harvested by harvester attachments and reapers purchased from Ukraine. This equipment allows minimizing sunflower harvesting losses. Alexander Lukashenko asked why this kind of equipment is not produced in Belarus. First Deputy Premier of Belarus Vladimir Semashko said that Belarus needs only a small number of such reapers; however, the company can produce them, if needed. In 2012 the land under sunflowers made up almost 21,000 hectares, most of it was in Gomel Oblast. Sunflowers are produced by 185 companies. This year domestic sunflower varieties (cross-breeds) were seeded only on 2,200 hectares (10% of the land). In 2013 the land under these crops will be expanded up to 5,000 hectares. According to the Agriculture and Food Ministry, the estimated output of sunflower seeds will reach about 30,000 tonnes. They will be used to produce 12,000 tonnes of raw sunflower oil and about 17,000 tonnes of oil cake. However, it is not enough to fully meet the domestic demand. To sustain cattle-breeding, Belarus will have to purchase 540,700 tonnes of sunflower oil cake and 327,700 tonnes of soy protein. By 2015 the land under sunflowers will increase up to 29,000 hectares.

БЕЛТА