MINSK, 11 December (BelTA) – Belarus counts to reach at least $250 million in trade with Turkmenistan in 2016, Belarus Vice Premier Anatoly Kalinin said in an interview to the Belarusian television during his visit to the Belarusian-Turkmen trade show in Ashgabat on 11 December.
“Next year we hope to reach at least $250 million in trade with Turkmenistan,” the Vice Premier said.
When asked on the agreements made at the trade show, Anatoly Kalinin noted: “I can say that contracts worth of $10.5 million were signed to supply products and goods to Turkmenistan. We expect at least $50 million as the result of this exhibition fair.”
As was earlier informed, during the official visit to Turkmenistan Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko paid a visit to the joint Belarus-Turkmenistan exhibition show. The trade show featured products of 117 companies that displayed foodstuffs, consumer goods such as Belarusian furniture, gas stoves, Belarusian wallpaper and other products that could be in demand on the Turkmen market.
According to Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mikhail Myatlikov, eight contracts were prepared by Belneftekhim, Belshina, Mogilevkhimvolokno, Mogotex, Mogilev Meat Packing Plant, and Minsk Kristall ahead of the exhibition.
Turkmenistan is one of Belarus’ leading partners in Central Asia. Mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation is a priority area in bilateral cooperation. According to the National Statistics Committee, the trade between Belarus and Turkmenistan totaled $67.7 million in January-September 2015. Belarus’ exports reached $66.2 million. Belarus’ main exports to Turkmenistan include mainly higher value added products: trucks, special-purpose vehicles, tractors, road construction machinery, equipment and materials for the Garlyk mining and processing factory, wire and cables, medicinal drugs, products of the woodworking industry, and agricultural products.