On September 26, Vitebsk /Diana Kurilo - BELTA/. The volume of cranberries and lingonberries procured by cooperators of the Vitebsk region this year has increased 12-fold compared to last year, Viktor Shulyak, First Deputy Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Union of Consumer Societies, told a BELTA correspondent. Mushroom procurement is proceeding at an active pace. Their stocks already exceed last year's by 2.6 times. The region's cooperators have paid the population Br60.5 billion for agricultural products, wild berries, and mushrooms handed over, which is more than 20% higher than last year. As Viktor Shulyak noted, the growth in procurement volumes was facilitated not only by the weather but also by the resolution of organizational issues related to procurement. Firstly, since the beginning of the season, purchase prices have been significantly increased, and cooperators have been given the opportunity to use loans for timely settlements with the population. Secondly, the number of procurement staff has increased. Along with 272 full-time employees, 150 seasonal procurement agents with their own vehicles have been involved in purchasing from the population. This has made it possible to organize the acceptance of berries and mushrooms from the population directly in the forest. Vitebsk consumer cooperators fully satisfy the applications of OJSC "Vitebsk Fruit and Vegetable Processing Plant" for berries for the production of baby food. Some of the procured products go to other processing enterprises, but the main part of the stocks undergoes deep freezing and will be sent for export. About 80% of the frozen forest gifts will be sold to Russia, Germany, Poland, and the Baltic countries. The region's cooperators have already received over $1 million from the sale of their products abroad. -0-

BELTA