DUSHANBE (TCA) — Belarus and Tajikistan will be expanding their agricultural cooperation. The issue was discussed at a meeting of the Belarus-Tajikistan intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation in Minsk on May 18, BelTA news agency reported.
Opening the meeting, Belarus Agriculture and Food Minister Leonid Zayats said that in Q1 2017 the Agriculture and Food Ministry organizations increased the export to Tajikistan 2.4-fold in comparison with the same period last year. Belarus exports to Tajikistan milk products, milk powder, meat, starch, flour, and other products.
In the minister’s words, the two countries are now interested in setting up a joint plant to assemble Belarusian MTZ tractors in Tajikistan. Besides, Tajikistan shows interest in cooperation in seed farming, including the cultivation of potato, crop and maize seeds.
Minister Zayats said that Belarus suggested launching the production of seed material with the use of its technologies and specialists in Tajikistan.
Another promising area for cooperation is livestock breeding. In 2010, 2011 and 2013 Belarus supplied its pedigree stock to boost dairy breeding in Tajikistan.
Tajikistan Agriculture Minister Izzatullo Sattori praised the development of relations between the two countries in the agricultural sector. He reaffirmed the interest in setting up a joint company to assemble MTZ tractors in Tajikistan and noted that the need in Belarusian agricultural equipment is high for the agro-industrial sector of Tajikistan.
