OREANDA-NEWS. On 24 April 2009 was announced, that Belarus will revise the list of imported ready-to-eat seafood in order to phase out imports of the foods that are produced in Belarus, a source in the Presidential Administrative Department told.

“We will very soon revise the list of imports. If Belarusian companies produce analogous foods, imports will be irrelevant,” he said.

He referred to preserved foods offered by Belarusian food-processing companies.

“The decision does not mean all imports will disappear tomorrow, but Belarus should only import the products that cannot be produced locally. Some imports will remain,” he said.

The decision is part of the import-substituting program.

“The country must develop its own production and importers that process fish must consider it a promising market segment,” he said.

“Few Belarusian producers export their make. To be able to export to the EU they need to meet European standards, therefore they will have to develop modern productions,” the source said.

Belarus’ Presidential Administrative Department, which regulates the fish market of the country, in early February awarded 42 companies the right to import and process fish in the first quarter of 2009.

The list includes Santa-Bremor, Santa Impex Brest, Belryba, Gomel Rybocomplex, Mogilev Rybocomplex, Minskrybprom, Vitalyur, Leor Plastic, Belvneshrybtorg, Grodnoryba, Rybny Ryad, Vkus Ryby Plus, McDonald’s Restaurants, etc.

President Alexander Lukashenko on August 1, 2007 signed ordinance #361 to abolish import quotas on fish and seafood and make the state the only importer of this produce. The president will approve the list of companies authorized to import and sell fish and seafood in Belarus “as economic entities implementing the sole right of the state to import fish and seafood.”