OREANDA-NEWS. September 16, 2008. In 2010 Belarus’ gross oilseed rape yield is supposed to increase up to 1 million tonnes. Earlier the 2007-2010 oil and fat industry development programme set the target at 0.8 million tonnes, Chairman of Belgospischeprom Concern Ivan Danchenko told a session of the Council of Ministers Presidium.

In his words, in view of the changed conditions the concern suggests correcting the 2007-2010 oil and fat industry development programme.

The amendments will also touch upon the production capacity for processing oil-bearing crop seeds. The figure is supposed to increase by roughly 150% to 1,361,400 tonnes (589,000 tonnes earlier).

The concern also intends to provide the country with protein stock in 2010 as much as possible. There are plans for ensuring rapeseed oil self-reliance as much as possible as well as import substitution of oil and fat products. In particular, in 2010 Belarus is expected to turn out 302,600 tonnes of vegetable oil instead of 207,000 tonnes specified by the present programme.

Ivan Danchenko explained, scientists believe in order to optimise the fatty acid composition of consumed vegetable oils it is advisable to make rapeseed and flaxseed oil share as large as 60% and the share of sunflower oil and other oils — 40%. The draft corrected programme takes into account these figures and determines the minimum import of oil unavailable in Belarus as well as the maximum possible domestic production of rapeseed oil.

The document also provides for commissioning modern equipment for refining, winterising and deodorising fats and oils, expanding the choice and beefing up the production of competitive fat and oil products.

In 2008-2010 the planned funding for measures outlined by the programme is estimated at USD232 million, including USD 161.7 million of proprietary funds and USD 27.5 million of bank loans.

According to Ivan Danchenko, the present production of rapeseeds and the capacity for their processing do not meet modern requirements. Moreover, some goals specified by the 2007-2010 oil and fat industry development programme are not met.

The rapeseed production capacity for processing this year’s harvest stands at 257,400 tonnes per annum while the target is set at 337,100 tonnes. Efforts meant to attract investments for increasing the capacity are insufficiently active.

The situation is grave first of all in the Brest and Grodno oblasts. All in all, Br22 billion or 48% of the sum required for meeting the goal has been attracted.

Over the first eight months of 2008 the failure to meet the production capacity targets has led to lower production of oil, oilcakes, and press cakes. In January-August oil processing companies secured 57.6% of the margarine production goal, 68.5% of the mayonnaise production goal, and 105.9% of the bottled vegetable oil production goal.