Agriculture in the republic of Belarus

Agriculture is a priority industry in the Republic of Belarus. It is essential for ensuring the country’s food security and for providing raw materials to other industries. Agriculture is also one of the most important activities in the republic for it employs more than 20 % of the workforce.

Belarus belongs to the area of so-called unstable farming. A short growing season, the lack of fertile soils and other factors make farming difficult. The main plowed lands have low natural fertility. Much of the land can be productive only with fertilizer application. The 1986 explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power station contaminated much of the soil in southern Belarus. It reduced the country's total area of arable land by more than 10 %.

40 % of the total territory is over moistened. Many of the lowlands have been drained. They are used for producing fodder crops.

The Belarusian agricultural sector is now at the turning-point stage. The country managed to overcome the recession of production, to bring the number of loss-making agricultural companies to the minimum, to restore the balance at the foodstuffs market by raising the share of home-made products; to extend exports and domestic sales of foodstuffs.

Due to the state support, especially due to investments in modernization and retooling, the agricultural output has increased greatly.

The Belarusian agrarian business is represented by large agricultural enterprises. Most of the farms have mixed crop and livestock farming. The main species of livestock are cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and poultry. A powerful cattle breeding has been created in Belarus to manufacture milk and meat products. Broiler chickens are other major livestock. They are raised at special mass-production plants.

Many species of plants grow well especially grain crops (rye, wheat, barley and oats) and sugar beets. The republic is one of the main producers of flax in the world and the second producer of potatoes in Europe. The fact that potatoes are Belarusian ‘second bread’ is known far beyond the republic. No wonder: Belarus is the second producer of potatoes in Europe. Additional crops, grown on Belarusian farms, are cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, onions. Fruit crops include apples, pears, plums, cherries.

The increase in cattle breeding production and the demand for new products required a modernization of dairy and meat-processing companies. Belarus is considered to have low prices for foodstuffs among other countries in transition. Retail prices for foodstuffs in Belarus are much lower than those in Russia and other CIS countries.

Belarusian agriculture does not only produce farm products to meet domestic needs. The republic is a traditional exporter of agricultural products. Among them are pork, beef, chicken, animal oil, cheese, eggs, flax, vegetables. Today our products are supplied to twenty-three countries. Russia is our main customer.

The Belarusian agro-industrial complex has recently turned into a big exporter.

Price – reasonable, quality – excellent. This is the goal of Belarusian agrarians.

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