28 August, Vitebsk /Diana Kurilo - BELTA/. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Belarus is initiating an increase in procurement prices for meat from September 1 and for milk from October 1. This was announced today at the regional scientific-practical seminar-meeting on the strategy for the development of the agro-industrial complex of the Vitebsk region until 2015 by the First Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food of Belarus, Nadezhda Kotkovets, as reported by a BELTA correspondent. A draft resolution of the Council of Ministers on increasing procurement prices for pork, beef, and milk has been prepared. It is proposed to increase procurement prices for pork and beef depending on the meat category, and for milk - by 10%. Commenting on the proposal of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food at the request of a BELTA correspondent, Nadezhda Kotkovets noted that the situation on the Russian food market has allowed Belarusian milk processing enterprises to build up sufficient reserves. Since August 27, the procurement price for milk has increased in the Russian Federation - it now stands at almost Br1.9 thousand equivalent per liter. "Belarusian dairy plants have withstood two price increases, and they have sufficient funds to share this revenue with agricultural producers," believes the First Deputy Minister. Today, all dairy plants are operating profitably, and most have already paid off debts from previous years. As Nadezhda Kotkovets emphasized, the increase in selling prices will occur within the forecast parameters of inflation.-0-

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