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Photo: lrv.lt

Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius says that the agreement is important as Lithuania is waiting for China's exports certificates.

"An agreement was reached on the general requirements that will apply to Lithuanian dairy products and breeding cattle planned to be exported to China. (Lithuania) commits itself to control the compliance with these requirements. The same requirements will be transferred to export certificates," Butkevicius said in a press release on Thursday.

"It is these certificates Lithuania is awaiting in order to finalize the whole negotiating and permit issuance process and to launch dairy product exports," he added.

The protocol was signed by officials from the Lithuanian Agriculture Ministry, the State Food and Veterinary Service and China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

Butkevicius expects to discuss the issue of dairy product export certificates with his Chinese counterpart, Li Keqiang, during his visit to Beijing in late November.

According to the media, the protocol that was signed on Thursday is a formal trade authorization. How soon exports are actually launched will depend on when export certificates are approved. The authorities will have to work out and approve the technical details, which may take several months.

All major Lithuanian milk processors and livestock growers and sellers have already expressed their wish to begin exports to China.