Review of Belarus’ achievements

The 34th International Exhibition Belagro-2024 unveiled in the Great Stone Belarusian-Chinese Industrial Park has demonstrated cutting-edge achievements in the fields of agriculture and industry. Advancements in the Belarusian agro-industrial complex (AIC), an exclusive from Russia’s Ministry of Agriculture, know-how from Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Germany, China, Türkiye, new cultural varieties and innovations in biotechnology, as well as the selection of the best brood cow, tests for the most skilled plowman, a contest for the Champion of Taste title, a tour of the fish village, a tractor rally, britzka riding — the list is endless.

The 34th International Exhibition Belagro-2024, Great Stone Belarusian-Chinese Industrial Park        

Thanks to the personal attention of the President of Belarus, the hard work and dedication of AIC workers, the support of machine builders and agricultural scientists, Belarus has taken a leading position in the world in the production of agricultural products and foodstuffs. Belarus provides almost 100 percent of the country’s food security. Ranking 97th in the world in terms of population and 84th in terms of territory, Belarus is one of the top five exporters of milk and dairy products, and is among the top 15 exporters of meat and meat products. Our country is one of the global leaders in the production of basic agricultural products per capita. This was stated at the grand opening of the 34th International Exhibition Belagro-2024 in the Great Stone Belarusian-Chinese Industrial Park by Belarus’ First Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Sergei Fedchenko.
The exhibition has become a brand of the country, bringing together many enterprises and organisations. This year, 490 domestic and foreign companies from 11 countries have showcased their achievements at the exhibition. A huge number of guests have arrived at the festive event. Our country is proud of the fact that the lion’s share of machinery working in fields and farms is Belarus-made. “Even if we imagine a situation that purchases abroad stop, we will be able to completely do without imports,” noted Deputy Industry Minister Aleksandr Yefimov. “I assure you that no position would be affected. Belarus produces a full range of machinery and mechanisms for growing and harvesting any crops, carrying out work on farms, transport and other operations.” 
At the main entrance to the exhibition, there was an exposition of the flagship of Belarus’ mechanical engineering industry — Minsk Tractor Works [MTZ trademark]. It featured the machinery of not only the parent company, but also of all plants belonging to the holding. 
The parent enterprise presented a tractor with an electromechanical transmission BELARUS-3523. Another novelty was the BELARUS-3322 model with a fully automatic transmission. “We are working in one more direction. We have created an upgraded chassis for road maintenance and  work in public utilities,” revealed Vasily Gnedchik, a lead specialist in advertising and exhibitions at MTW OJSC. “The vehicle can mow down roadsides and slopes, clean roadside barriers from rust and paint residues. It can wash fencing and roads with the help of special equipment, clean, sweep, clear snow and debris.”

Hybrid tractor truck MAZ-X by Minsk Automobile Plant. Belagro-2024, Great Stone Belarusian-Chinese Industrial Park

At the main agro-industrial forum, MAZ [Minsk Automobile Plant’s brand] unveiled a novelty to the market — an absolutely unique hybrid tractor truck MAZ-X. This is an innovative development that has already been presented at the Crocus Expo in Moscow recently. After the presentation, the Internet literally exploded. Everyone was impressed by the out-of-the-box approach to the creation of tractor trucks and the applied design solutions. The MAZ-X tractor truck has been created based on a hybrid platform with an electromechanical transmission and an innovative design of an aerodynamic low-floor modular cabin using lightweight composite materials. The vehicle embodies great efficiency, high mileage and load capacity, ensures a high level of comfort and safety for the driver, as well as environmental friendliness. 
Another impressive exposition belonged to the Gomel-based giant of agricultural machinery — Gomselmash JSC. The GH810 combine harvester with a 450-horsepower engine, already produced on an industrial scale, took centre stage. The novelty has no analogues produced in the CIS countries. A spacious premium cabin attests to the fact that the vehicle belongs to a new generation of grain harvesting equipment. The climate control system creates additional conditions for comfortable work.
Within the framework of Belagro-2024, the premiere of a brand-new 650-horsepower FS650 forage harvester has taken place, which confidently sets new standards in forage harvesting due to the range of advanced technological solutions.
Productive machinery alone is not enough to obtain high gross yields of all crops. First of all, good seeds are needed, according to Piotr Kazakevich, Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of Belarus’ National Academy of Sciences. “In the field of grain production, Belarusian scientists aim to create varieties with a yield potential of over 100 centners per hectare. And they have already succeeded in that. At the same time, plant breeders are solving a difficult problem that has arisen in recent years — the development of drought-resistant varieties. For this, they take the source material from countries with hot climates and cross it with our plants,” Piotr Kazakevich pointed out. 


The exhibition days were also busy for Belarusian companies of the Belgospishcheprom [Belarusian state food industry] concern. Representatives of many foreign delegations showed keen interest in both new products and recognised brands, which entailed lucrative contracts and expansion of the export portfolio. Among the delicious specialities from Volkovysk Meat Processing Plant JSC were venison products that were brought to light at the exhibition for the first time. They are in demand in branded stores, especially among guests of Belarus. Representatives of Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, and Russia’s regions have already shown their interest in those at the exhibition.
Rapeseed oil has long been a Belarusian brand and has found a lot of fans in the world. Representatives of Georgia, Libya, and Israel, who were interested in both packaged rapeseed oil for consumers and in tanks, visited the stand of Bobruisk Factory of Vegetable Oils OJSC. One of the delegations was interested in the product to ensure its state reserves.
Greenhouse plants are successfully coping with the instruction of the Head of State to provide the domestic market with fresh cucumbers and tomatoes in the off-season period — there are enough production capacities both to meet the demand of Belarusian consumers and to make export supplies. Thus, specialists of Rudakovo Greenhouse Complex JSC brought cherry tomatoes to the exhibition this year, the production of which is planned to be established on an industrial scale. 
Conferences and seminars were held at the forum site. The list of key topics encompassed agricultural education, promising developments of Belarusian scientists for the AIC, technical maintenance, development of breeding and seed production, and much more. Sports and entertainment events, presentation performances, The Best Plowman professional skill competition, Champion of Taste tasting contest, demonstrations of brood mares, goats and sheep took place.  
It turned out that 45kg is exactly how much milk per day is given by Beresteyka, the Grand Prix winner in The Best Brood Dairy Cow competition, which arrived at Belagro-2024 from Agro-Sad Rassvet JSC in Brest Region. It became the first experience of participating in such a prestigious competition for the farm. What  memorable one, though!

Photos by Aleksandr Kulevsky 

By Vasily Gedroits