28 April, Minsk /Tatsiana Chumakova - BELTA/. Purchase prices for crop products of the 2011 harvest may be increased. This was announced today at a press conference by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food of Belarus, Vasily Pavlovsky, according to a BELTA correspondent. Vasily Pavlovsky noted that this year purchase prices for crop production have increased by 27-43% compared to last year. Commenting on the economic situation in the Belarusian market, the Deputy Minister observed that in 2011, purchase prices for buckwheat, sugar beet, corn, and livestock products may be increased. In particular, for buckwheat, the purchase price should be no less than Br2.5 million per 1 tonne. Currently, it is around Br1.8 million per 1 tonne. While the price of sugar was significantly increased this year, processing enterprises have benefited from this so far, although agricultural organizations also have a right to a share of the revenue, believes the Deputy Minister. He stressed that the Belarusian side, when increasing prices, must take into account the prices of products in neighbouring countries, and if prices differ significantly in these states, then this is bad, noted Vasily Pavlovsky. Currently, in Belarus, prices for a number of crop products are lower than in neighbouring states. For livestock products, prices may be raised in case of an increase in the price of compound feeds, explained Vasily Pavlovsky. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food will submit proposals for increasing purchase prices for crop products of the 2011 harvest, stressed the Deputy Minister. -0-

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