Syria secures first milk powder deal through Belarusian commodity exchange

SYRIA – Syria has made its first purchase of Belarusian dairy products through the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange (BUCE), marking a significant step in strengthening trade ties between the two nations.

The Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange concluded the first deal to supply milk powder to Syria. According to the BUCE press service, the volume of purchase amounted to 100 tonnes.

The seller was one of the major dairy enterprises of Vitebsk Oblast, and the buyer was an importer and distributor of food products from the Syrian province of Idlib that got accredited at the BUCE platform in late April.

According to the BUCE press service, in addition to Syria, the pool of Middle Eastern buyers of Belarusian dairy products includes countries like as Jordan, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.

“In January-April 2025, the export of dairy products reached US$205 million, which was up by 29% year-on-year. The leader of sales is milk powder, accounting for 61% of the total export transactions,” the BUCE press service said.

Concurrently, Senegal also made its first purchase of Belarusian dairy products through the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange (BUCE).

The sale, completed on March 26, 2025, saw a major milk processing company from Belarus’s Grodno Oblast supply the goods to a food importer based in Dakar, Senegal’s capital. 

According to BUCE’s press service, this deal involved 125 tonnes of whole milk powder, facilitated by the exchange’s simplified trading system for international buyers, and is part of a broader effort to expand Belarusian dairy exports to new markets. 

Senegal, a country with a growing demand for milk powder, is seen as a promising partner due to its reliance on imported dairy to meet local needs. 

The West African nation also holds potential as a gateway for Belarusian products to reach other countries in the region.

The transaction utilised BUCE’s address mechanism, introduced in August 2024, simplifying foreign buyers’ accreditation and offering lower fees. 

This system allowed the Senegalese importer to connect directly with a pre-selected Belarusian supplier, streamlining the process. 

“Senegal is a large consumer of milk powder and regularly needs supplies from abroad,” a BUCE said.  The spokesperson added that the deal could pave the way for further trade with West African nations.

Subscribe to our email newsletters that provide busy executives like you with the latest news insights and trends from Africa and the World. SUBSCRIBE HERE