Visit to agricultural enterprise Govyady-Agro in Shklov District

The meat sector in animal husbandry will be developed in Belarus. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement during a visit to the agricultural enterprise Govyady-Agro in Shklov District on 7 November.

The head of state wondered about the current meat prices and whether the meat sector specifically is unprofitable. The President was told that profitability of milk production is, of course, higher and can go as high as 80%. As for meat, it is only up to 5%.

These figures certainly have accounting nuances, since various costs in an agricultural enterprise can be registered in different ways, but Aleksandr Lukashenko wants the key thing accomplished: it is necessary to make sure that the breeding and fattening of meat cattle breeds are not driven into the ground.

“I am interested in whether it is profitable to engage in meat production as a whole. I am concerned about prices when someone brings a bull to the meat-packing plant and gets money,” the head of state said.

The President was told that the meat sector is certainly profitable if everything is organized according to technology and high weight gains are secured every day. These products are in demand abroad as well.

“Profitable or not, we will engage in meat production because people want not only milk but also meat products,” the head of state emphasized.

Purchase prices for meat in Belarus are rising, but the process is under control in order to prevent price spikes.

“This is unacceptable and impossible. It is not our policy to raise beef prices overnight. it will not happen,” the head of state said.

“First we need to get the technology right. It will have an effect on weight gains. This is why let us reduce the prime cost and get higher profit. Then we will have normal profitability thanks to percentages. We cannot keep raising prices all the time. It is all controllable. Yes, there will be some increase somewhere. But we need to ensure wage growth so that people do not feel offended,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

By the way, as far as wages are concerned, the situation in Belarus is quite favorable unlike the situation in many other countries. Real wages increased by 9% in Belarus last year and by 7% this year. “No other country in the world has it. Riots in Europe happen due to that,” the Belarus President added.