Lukashenko: Oil sector does not yield as much as agriculture
Oil does not yield as much as agriculture, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he talked to scientists in Minsk on 9 February, BelTA has learned.
The head of state stressed that the long-term efforts invested in the development of the agricultural industry are yielding results. This is evidenced by Belarus' farm export numbers. "Oil does not yield as much as agriculture. Oil has plummeted. Meanwhile food exports hit $8.3 billion," he said.
"I am generally a supporter of the idea you need to eat what grows on your land. I practically do not eat imported food," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
He noted that the world's population is growing and additional volumes of food will be required. Therefore the agricultural sector is a very promising area.
Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Professor, Head of Oilseeds Department of the Research Center for Farming of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Yadviga Pilyuk drew attention of the participants in the meeting to the importance of rapeseed cultivation and production of rapeseed oil. According to her, the country launched the corresponding scientific and practical work long time ago and are getting good results today. Varieties, hybrids and rapeseed cultivation technologies have been developed. Almost a million tonnes of products have already been harvested.
“I think that the demand for rapeseed oil, which is very healthy, will grow in the world. We have achieved quality and are keeping up with the world production,” she said, stressing that Belarus is the world's ninth biggest exporter of rapeseed oil.
The scientist believes that rapeseed oil is the culture of the present and the future, so it is worth expanding its production, which will yield good profits.
Aleksandr Lukashenko pointed out that the demand for rapeseed oil is enormous worldwide. Belarus has made great progress in rapeseed growing, as the president demanded, and will continue working to increase the yield of the crop.
The head of state urged the scientists to develop new technologies, keeping in mind the things the country needs most.
