The relevant decision is laid down by Council of Ministers resolution No 615, representatives of the Council of Ministers Office told BelTA.

Between 1 January and 1 August 2010, 90 per cent of the tariff quota on importing fresh, cooled or frozen pork and trimmed pork, which is classified by commodity code 0203 by the Customs Union’s unified commodity description and coding system, will be distributed by the Agriculture and Food Ministry among economic operators that imported pork in 2008-2009 proportionate to the average volumes of the pork the economic operators imported in 2008 and between 1 January-30 November 2009 (except for pork originating from and imported from Russia and Kazakhstan). 10 per cent of the tariff quota will be distributed between the economic operators that did not import pork in 2008-2009 and declared their need for pork imports for proprietary manufacturing processes before 1 April 2010.

Starting 15 September 2010, the Agriculture and Food Ministry will distribute the pork import quota that has not been depleted before 1 August 2010 as per applications of importers, which received the pork import tariff quota before 1 August 2010 proportionate to the average volumes of the pork the economic operators imported in 2008 and between 1 January 2009 and 1 July 2010 (except for pork originating from and imported from Russia and Kazakhstan).

Representatives of the Agriculture and Food Ministry told BelTA, the Customs Union Commission has granted the Republic of Belarus the right to import 30,000 tonnes of fresh, cooled or frozen pork in 2010. Following a relevant resolution of Belarus’ Council of Ministers, the Agriculture and Food Ministry has distributed part of the tariff quota among economic operators that imported pork in 2008-2009 proportionate to the average volumes of the pork the economic operators imported in 2008 and since 1 January 2009 according to statistics of the State Customs Committee. The rest of the tariff quota will be distributed by 1 August 2010.

Meanwhile, according to reports of oblast administrations, at present there is a need for imported pork among meat-processing enterprises that did not import pork before or imported insignificant amounts, said the source. Thus, in 2008-2009 the Slutsk, Stolbtsy, Kalinkovichi meat-packing plants and other enterprises did not import pork.

Following an instruction by Belarus Vice Premier Andrei Kobyakov the Agriculture and Food Ministry has sent a proposal to the Customs Union Commission requesting to set Belarus’ import tariff quota on pork at 60,000 tonnes in 2010, poultry meat – 9,700 tonnes.