On January 31, Minsk / Olga Belyavskaya - BELTA /. The number of cooperative and integration structures in the agro-industrial complex of the Vitebsk region will increase, stated the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, Alexander Kosinets, today at a meeting of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers, BELTA correspondent reports. Currently, 16 such structures operate in the region. "The implementation of such projects is highly relevant, as they ensure the efficient operation of the agro-industrial complex from field to shelf," said Alexander Kosinets. "We are creating them on the basis of poultry farms, grain processing enterprises, pig complexes, and meat and dairy industry organizations." Cooperative and integration structures allow for increasing the efficiency of livestock and poultry production and boosting profits from the sale of agricultural products. According to the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, the current situation dictates the need to consolidate existing production capacities. This is precisely why active work is underway in the region to create product companies and a meat and dairy products concern. "We plan to consolidate 8 dairy plants into 4 large Open Joint Stock Companies for milk processing in 2012-2013," Alexander Kosinets explained. "The product distribution network will comprise 131 entities, 10 of which are located outside Belarus." Reforms will also affect the region's meat industry. Projects to consolidate meat processing plants are planned here within the next two years, Alexander Kosinets added. -0-

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