Biotechnologies in Belarus go out beyond research laboratories
Toward the close of last week, the head of the Belarusian Government Mikhail Myasnikovich visited the State Scientific Institution «Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering of National Academy of Sciences of Belarus», where he is not only became acquainted with the work of a Centre of cellular technology, but also held a meeting on the development of the country`s modern biotechnology industry.
Mikhail Myasnikovich recalled that biotechnology is one of the eleven priorities of development of the national economy by 2020. «This industry is under special control of the head of state. I note that the biotechnology at us have already gone beyond the laboratories and are being actively implemented in the production», – the Prime Minister noted with satisfaction.
«At the 9th city clinical hospital of Minsk has already established its own data bank of stem cells, where people can leave them in storage for possible use. Their safety is provided for up to 15 years, although today our scientists are working hard to increase the term of their activity», – the Prime Minister said. Mikhail Myasnikovich indicated that biotechnologies are the technologies for the development of the Belarusian economy. A country that does not have its own huge reserves of oil or gas can be developed solely by its own intelligence. In addition, these technologies and products are in demand on the world market», – the head of the government said.
The scope of biotechnologies is one of those, which is funded at the proper level. And these financial costs give the obvious economic benefits. Over the past two years, the country has invested to sphere of biotechnology Br 226,3 billion.
As the Academician-Secretary of the Department of Biological Sciences of National Academy of Belarus Igor Volotovskii said, the program «Innovative Biotechnology» is the first target state program in the country that aim at the development of this sphere. «We got unprecedented money and we were aimed at the creation of fundamentally new industries. The figures show that all assignments of program were exceeded. For example, the total sales of products and services, taking into account production of biofuels amounted to Br 5,913 billion, without biofuels — Br 433 billion. Issue of import substituting production enabled the country to save $ 50,5 million», – he said. As a result of 2010–2012 there are 5 new enterprises in the country that use biotechnology.
By the end of this year in Belarus will earn four companies that use biotechnology. Among them, the production of plasma products, production of bacterial concentrates the dairy industry, complex deep processing of plant materials to produce high-quality protein products, and the production of cellular products (stem cells). The interaction of science and industry promises to satisfy the needs of the domestic market in feed additives and preservatives, vegetable protein feed, dried milk substitutes, biotech veterinary products, biofuels, drugs from blood plasma, recombinant human proteins, and planned to be fully implemented in medical practice services using stem cells.
As Igor Volotovskii indicated, as a result of the implementation of new projects in 2015 in Belarus will be organized by the production of bioproducts for animal health, public health and food industries. By 2015, according to the program «Innovative Biotechnology» in the country will open nine new enterprises and 40 new productions.
As noted Minister of Economy Nikolai Snopkov, who was present at the meeting, with scientists today easily communicate, they talk in normal language and operate familiar terms, such as «earnings», «margin» and «economic feasibility».
