by PressAuthorities of Belarus decided to introduce a ban on grain imports
How the ban on grain imports by Belarus will affect the Russian market
The Belarusian government has tightened measures for local exporters of agricultural products. The country introduced a ban on grain imports, which will be valid for a certain period of time. Such crops as wheat, buckwheat, corn, rye and others are subject to restrictions. The government does not report on the period of relevance of the new rule.
In this regard, analysts have studied the consequences of the ban for Russia. According to them, the restrictions will not cause significant changes in the country’s imports. The fact is that Belarus supplies minimal amounts of agricultural products to Russia, while Russia itself is one of the leading exporters of wheat in the world. In turn, Minsk acquires quite impressive volumes of grain and other crops from neighboring producers.
In addition, the Belarusian agricultural sector is primarily focused on the production of finished products, which has a large added value, such as mixed fodder. In this case, the country acts as a major buyer of grains.
Seed supplies from Belarus, including winter wheat, are more important to Russia. However, experts predict a rich grain harvest in Russia this season, and imports from the neighboring country are not that important.
A total of 10 types of crops fell under the law from the Belarusian government. The ban applies to all states, including those that are part of the EAEU.
The government notes that such restrictions do not contradict the international obligations that the country has undertaken. The introduction of the restrictive measure is due to the need to fill the domestic market with a sufficient amount of grain. The authorities stressed that this restriction is temporary and will be lifted when the volume of products on the domestic market significantly increases. In the course of following the restrictions the government will also adjust the terms and clauses of the new law.
This season Belarus has started buying foreign potatoes for the first time in many years. This fact is surprising from the point of view of the fact that for a long time the country has had the status of a major exporter of this product. One of the reasons for such a step on the part of local agrarians is the rise in price of potatoes. They try to buy the produce during the harvesting process, fearing that it will be even more expensive later. The cost of crop wholesale on the country’s domestic market has reached $0.30 per kilogram, and the figure continues to rise. Such a price exceeds almost all states of the region, only in Russia it is sold more expensive.
The experts note that the price of potatoes on the local market in Belarus is now 70% higher than it has traditionally been sold at this time. The main reason for the increase in the price of potatoes was the unfavorable weather, which has reduced the volume and quality of the crop.