Business news

MINSK, 10 July (BelTA) – In January-May 2018 the export of Belarusian food to Germany rose by 22%, BelTA learned from Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Germany Denis Sidorenko before the seminar on food export to the European Union on 10 July.

The ambassador said: “Food is not a priority in Belarus’ export to Germany. Food accounts for 1-2.5% of the total export. But in cash terms the sums are rather serious -- $20-30 million per annum. This is why we pay sufficient attention to this direction, too. We would love to increase the export of our products to Germany in the future. In January-May 2018 Belarusian food export rose by 22%, so there is some potential.”

Belarusian non-food export is on the rise, too. “We register rising export figures across the board. Deliveries relating to woodworking industry and base metals grow most vigorously. Our manufacturers are solidifying their market positions. New projects emerge, including high-tech ones. For instance, if things work out well, then the [Belarusian white goods manufacturer] ZAO Atlant will implement a project together with a German producer in order to sell merchandise to third countries,” noted the ambassador.

In his opinion, there are two main barriers standing in the way of higher Belarusian export to the European Union – tariffs (high import duties) and certification. “The certification process is lengthy and costly. Our manufacturers sometimes believe that there are more opportunities elsewhere. But if our strategy is geared towards stepping up our presence on the European market for the sake of export diversification, we – producers, the government, and the relevant agencies – should take care of this matter together,” believes Denis Sidorenko.