Belarus announcing list of approved fish importers for 2012

The Republic of Belarus, which is one of three members of the Customs Union along with Russia and Kazakhstan and has a free trade zone with most of CIS states, has announced a list of 39 special importers who will enjoy the exclusive right to import seafood to the republic in 2012, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/ with reference to Timur Mitupov, head of Analytical Centre of Russia's Information Agency on Fisheries.

The list includes both government-owned and private companies based in Belarus, they are GP Mogilevskii Rybokomplex, OOO Evrotorg, OAO Minskbakaleyatorg, CHUP Belkoopttorg, GP Belryba, SP Santa Bremor, SOOO Artvitfood (Minsk), ODO Vitalur, OAO Rybnyi Ryad (Bobruisk), OAO Belbakaleya and others. In 2011 the list of approved importers included 25 companies.

Market capacity

According to Timur Mitupov, Belarus annually imports ca.100,000-120,000 MT of finfish and other aquatic products. The market capacity is estimated at ca.220,000 MT, including 17,900 MT of farmed fish harvested in 2011. In the republic's ownership there are 19 fish co-operatives with a total water pond area of 20,300 ha. Carp species contribute some 80% to the total farmed fish harvest in Belarus.

Belarus has been implementing a state program on fishery industry development in 2011-2015. One of its priorities is to introduce commercial fish farming with the use of state-of-the-art technologies for culture of valuable fish species as well as pond species.