Belarus seeks protein feed self-sufficiency by 2020
Belarus plans in the coming years to minimize the importation of protein components of compound feed by raising domestic production, said Ludmila Yukhnovets, head of the Department of Varieties of Economic Utility of the State Inspectorate for Testing and Protection of Plant Varieties.
According to the statistics, compound production in Belarus is experiencing an acute shortage of digestible protein: for one unit of feed 105 grams of digestible protein is the norm, this is currently 80 grams in Belarus.
Annual deficit of protein in feed is filled by purchase of protein supplements from abroad, costing the country nearly 500 billion rubles (US$ 61.3) annually.
Belarusian scientists are developing a program designed to increase production of leguminous crops as well as rape by 2½ times.
This will put Belarus in a position to annually produce 240 tons of protein feed industry needs, thereby eliminating its deficit by 2015 and freeing it from importation by 2020.
Investments may reach 1.5 trillion rubles (US$ 184 m) within the coming three years, according to expert forecasts.
The new initiative by the State Inspectorate for Testing and Protection of Plant Varieties will be implemented under the general strategy for developing feed production and for the feed industry to achieve particular self-sufficiency by 2015.
By that time, Belarus plans to have increased animal feed consumption to 23.2 million tons of feed units, and concentrated animal feed consumption up to 10.2 million tons.
The increase in production of feed by 2015 will be 140% 2011 levels.
The share of roughage will be 35-36% silage: 30-32%, concentrated feed: 34-35%.
By 2020 self-sufficiency rate in feed production should have increased to 85%, from 45% currently. (Vladislav Vorotnikov)
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