Agriculture subsidies in Belarus will be cut down to 10% by 2017, Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Rumas said when speaking in the House of Representatives of the National Assembly.

The package of 17 agreements that make part of the legal framework of the Single Economic Space includes the agreement on subsidies to industry and agriculture. “By 2017, we must fully harmonize the approaches and meet the targets which are spelled out in the agreement: agriculture subsidies should not exceed 10%,” the Vice Premier said. Today, subsidies in agriculture should not exceed 16%. “We are within the limits,” added Sergei Rumas.

“There are, however, subsidies which are hidden, and our main task is to reduce them and make them open and transparent,” the Vice Premier emphasized.

According to Sergei Rumas, it will be the major responsibility of the Eurasian Economic Commission. He stressed that reducing agriculture subsidies would allow the sector to develop more dynamically. The reduced support would not affect agricultural development.

BelTA