Belarus expects to increase milk production to 9.2 million tonnes by 2025.

14/10/20200 views

October 14, Minsk /BELTA/. Belarus expects to increase milk production to 9.2 million tonnes by 2025, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Igor Brylo told reporters today during the VI Export Forum "Belarus Dairy", a BELTA correspondent reports.

"The dairy industry in Belarus has been developing intensively over the past 10 years. We have done a tremendous job. Based on last year's results, the country as a whole produced slightly more than 7 million tonnes of milk. Compared to 2010, we have added almost 1.5 million tonnes. This year, the positive trend continues, and based on the results of nine months, we have already added more than 300,000 tonnes. We plan to reach 7.5 million tonnes by the end of the year. The dairy industry development strategy until 2025 envisages a volume of 9.2 million tonnes of milk. This means that over the next five years, we need to add more than 2 million tonnes," said Igor Brylo.

He stressed that milk production is increasing and its quality is improving solely due to modernisation. Over the past 10 years, more than 1.6 thousand farms have been reconstructed and modernised in Belarus, concentrating more than 65% of dairy cattle. "This means that almost 1 million cows are kept using absolutely new technologies," the deputy minister added.

Belarusian specialists are constantly working to improve the quality of milk. If in 2010, extra grade milk accounted for about 10% of the total volume, then in 2019 it was 60%. Production profitability has also increased: in 2010 it was about 10%, and based on last year's results, it was approximately 30%.

Modernisation of the dairy industry will continue. "A programme for the next five years is currently being formed. We are determining plans for each region. We face quite ambitious tasks," noted Igor Brylo.-0-