OREANDA-NEWS. October 11, 2010. This year’s grain harvest, at 7.1 million tonnes, is sufficient to feed Belarusians and help neighbors, President Alexander Lukashenko told reporters.

“Gross harvest of grain and legumes reached 7.1 million tonnes. We have a harvest sufficient to feed not only ourselves, but also help our neighbors. Russia has requested Belarus to sell a few dozen thousand tonnes of seeds, some flour and cereals,” Lukashenko said during Dozhinki-2010 feast.

Because of the poor weather Belarus was some 2 million tonnes of grain short of the expected total. “Despite all difficulties, we managed much better than many other countries,” Lukashenko said. “Belarusian produce is in demand, it is competitive both by its price and quality, and the main thing now is not to miss the right time and expand our exports of farm produce,” he said.

Lukashenko said grain harvest must reach 10 million tonnes in 2011; farm produce exports are expected to double in the next few years to reach USD 7-10 billion by 2015.

According to Lukashenko, the state has spent USD 40 billion on the village restoration program, and the village has started paying off. “No one will say now that we have been burying this money,” he said.