Belarus: bakery department increased flour products output

Minsk / BY. (ami) In 2009, enterprises of the bakery department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Belarus produced 668,9 thousand tonnes of flour products, an increase of 1,2 percent compared to the previous year, declared the department. Last year, Belarus produced nearly 667 thousand tonnes of flour, up 1,2 percent compared to 2008, including 444’000 tonnes of wheat flour (up 8,5 percent compared to the level of the previous year), 215’500 tonnes of rye flour (down 11,2 percent). Production of flour from oats lowered by 23,3 percent to 949 tonnes, barley flour output increased by 1,6 times to 2’300 tonnes and buckwheat flour – by 2,2 times to 83 tonnes. According to the department, during the period, composite flour production volumes (based on wheat flour) totaled 1,54 thousand tonnes, up 6,7 percent compared to 2008. In 2009, Belarus produced 64,2 thousand tonnes of packaged flour, up 1,7 percent compared to the previous year. Enterprises of the department exported nearly 27 thousand tonnes of flour products at the sum of 4,2 million USD. Russia became the major importer of the mentioned volumes, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan also purchased the commodity from Belarus (source: agrimarket.info).