Business news

MINSK, 11 December (BelTA) – The trade between Belarus and Russia's Vologda Oblast increased by 79% to $283 million in January-September 2017, BelTA learned from the official website of the Vologda Oblast administration.

Cooperation between Belarus and Vologda Oblast in the economic, social and tourism fields was discussed during a working visit of the Belarusian delegation headed by Chairman of Bellesbumprom Concern Yuri Nazarov to Vologda. “In January-September 2017 the trade between our region and Belarus amounted to $283.4 million, up 79% from the same period a year earlier. The exports increased, both on our part and also Belarus,” First Deputy Governor of Vologda Oblast Anton Koltsov said during the meeting with the Belarusian delegation. “The region imported Belarusian products worth $108.3 million, which was twice as much as in the same period in 2016. Belarus’ share in the overall volume of foreign trade increased also. In January-September 2016 it made up 6.7%. In the same period this year - 9.3%. This is a good result,” Anton Koltsov added.

Trade and economic cooperation between Russia’s Vologda Oblast and Belarus is traditionally based on the interaction of large industrial enterprises of metallurgical, chemical, machine-building industries, timber industries, agricultural enterprises. “There are new areas of cooperation. We are very interested in the positive experience of Belarus in timber processing which in your country has reached almost 100%. In our region the figure is 70%. We agreed that we will examine this experience,” Anton Koltsov stressed.

The participants of the meeting noted that the interaction is not limited to economy. The parties exchange experiences in the field of healthcare. Vologda athletes regularly take part in various competitions in Belarus. There is active cooperation between scientific organizations. Representatives of Vologda Oblast and Belarus jointly participate in cultural activities. The parties assured that this work will be continued.

The prospects for cooperation between Vologda Oblast and Belarus were also discussed during a meeting between Governor Oleg Kuvshinnikov and Chairman of Bellesbumprom Concern Yuri Nazarov. The head of the region noted that Vologda Oblast and Belarus are tied with long-standing partnership and mutual interests in the economic sector, industry and culture. Belarus accounts for nearly half of Vologda Oblast’s trade with the CIS member states. According to the governor, the first agreement on cooperation between Vologda Oblast and Belarus was signed 11 years ago. One of the brightest examples of the cooperation is the partnership between Cherepovets Casting and Mechanical Plant and the Minsk Tractor Works.

The chairman of Bellesbumprom Concern invited Oleg Kuvshinnikov to visit Belarus. The governor assured that next year the Vologda delegation would pay a return visit to study the work of the Belarusian mechanical engineering and logging complexes, and also food production.