The Belarusian government is facing difficulties in replacing agricultural imports from Western countries. These challenges were highlighted through statements made by Deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Sivak during a meeting with the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Bakyt Torobayev.
"We have an interest in Kyrgyz agricultural products, especially those that, due to climatic conditions, cannot be grown in Belarus," Anatoly Sivak said. "Today, we are working to replace raw material imports from unfriendly countries and are carefully studying the possibilities of Kyrgyz agricultural producers. Unfortunately, the problematic issue now is the delivery of perishable products. One of the ways to solve it is direct flights between our countries."
It's worth noting that at the beginning of 2022, the Belarusian government imposed a food embargo against "unfriendly" countries. Consequently, several products that were previously imported from Western nations became unavailable. The authorities have frequently made multiple changes to the list of prohibited imports; however, these adjustments have led to recurrent issues in the food supply. For example, in August of this year, the reinstatement of the ban on importing "unfriendly" Polish apples resulted in a significant reduction in the variety of fruits available on store shelves.
Furthermore, following the commencement of military aggression against Ukraine, the border with Ukraine was closed, and trade routes through neighboring EU countries became more complex. This has hurt importers' ability to use the most optimal and efficient logistical paths.
Source: news.zerkalo.io