Customs Union agrarian policy should orient on exports

Development of exports should be a priority of agrarian policy of the Customs Union, Russian Minister of Agriculture Minister Yelena Skrynnik believes.

�Customs Union countries can become guarantors of global food security, therefore the development of exports should be a priority of our common agricultural policy�, Minister said during the Agroforum �Customs Union – the guarantor of the competitiveness of the agro-industrial complex� held on October 14 in Moscow.

According to her, at present Russia and Kazakhstan are significant players in the world grain market. Belarus exports about 4 million MT of milk. �By 2020, Russia alone plans to supply up to 370,000 MT of meat, especially poultry and pork to the world market�, she added.

In this regard, she believes that by joint efforts Customs Union countries can influence the situation on global food markets, and thus ensure stability of the national agricultural production. Geographical location of the Customs Union will also help achieve these goals, as allows to enter the world’s largest food markets – Asia-Pacific countries, Middle East, Eastern and Western Europe.

E. Skrynnik emphasized that taking into account the future possible accession to the WTO it is important to quickly and painlessly solve the issues of technical regulation, the application of veterinary and phytosanitary standards, anti-dumping, countervailing and protective measures from various forms of unfair competition on the common market of the Customs Union.

Among the strategic objectives of the Customs Union in the agri-food market Skrynnik also listed ensuring of food security of countries, increase of mutual investments, the development of common infrastructure.

According to her creation of Agro-industrial Association in the Customs Union and Common Economic Space will greatly contribute to these goals. The Association will consolidate the positions of agriculture in those matters that are not addressed within a single state and will help to establish effective interaction of business with the State.

At the same time, several participants of the agro forum noted the factors that may hinder the integration of the three countries in the agri-food sector.

Thus, according to Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Belarus Vasily Kazakevich, one of such factors may be the differences in the amounts of state support to the agricultural producers. He also noted the growing competition between CU countries in some food markets.

Source: www.apk-inform.com
Translated by: usapeec.kz
 

Date: 17 October 2011