Vice premier speaks about Belarus’ agricultural plans for 2023
MINSK, 17 April (BelTA) – Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Leonid Zayats spoke about the country’s agricultural plans for 2023 in an interview to the Belarus 1 TV Channel, BelTA has learned.
According to Leonid Zayats, the area under sugar beet has been increased this year. “The capacity of our sugar refineries is five million tonnes. Last year we produced 4.2 million tonnes of sugar beet. We have reserves. We need to take advantage of it and produce additional 800,000 tonnes of sugar beet in order to increase the production of sugar for export,” he said.
Land reclamation measures are envisaged for some 37% of the total agricultural land in Belarus. “During the current five-year period, 2021-2025, we need to reclaim 412,000 hectares. Cultural and technical reclamation will be carried out on an area of 136,000 hectares, with bushes to be cut down, land to be leveled off in order to add areas for sowing,” the deputy prime minister said.
In 2021, about 27,000 hectares were reclaimed to agricultural use. Last year, this amount was doubled following the president’s instruction. “By the end of the five-year plan we need to reclaim 330,000 hectares. I should note that the government’s support in this regard is tangible,” Leonid Zayats said.
