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Russia said to have started substituting imports from Europe for Belarusian dry milk

Russia has started substituting imports from Europe for Belarusian dairy products, above all, dry ones, Vladimir Labinov, executive director of the Dairy Union of Russia, told reporters on Thursday, as quoted by BelaPAN.

Belarus has been the main supplier of dry dairy products to Russia in recent years, but this year the share of European countries in Russia's import of such products is growing, RIA Novosti quoted Mr. Labinov as saying. Despite its rising milk output, Belarus cannot keep up with the demand in Russia, he explained.

At the same time Belarusian dry dairy products are more expensive than those imported from Europe and even New Zealand, Mr. Labinov noted. This is true even though Belarusian exporters have the advantage of paying no customs duty, he added.

The quality of Belarusian dairy products is very good, said Andrei Danilenko, chairman of Russia' National Union of Milk Producers. Belarus "deliberately" reduced its export of dairy products to Russia this summer because of "our wish to have a stable pricing policy," Mr. Danilenko said.

Belarus is capable of significantly increasing its dairy exports to Russia, he said, adding that Belarus would remain the largest supplier of such products to the country.