MINSK, 8 February (BelTA) – Woodworking enterprises and pulp and paper producers from Belarus have signed contracts worth $17 million with Uzbekistan, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian timber, woodworking, pulp and paper industry concern Bellesbumprom.
A delegation representing Belarus’ woodworking and pulp and paper industries is taking part in the 2nd Forum of Regions of Belarus and Uzbekistan.
Bellesbumprom Deputy Chairman Aleksandr Pshenny spoke at the panel session “Investment and industrial cooperation: Belarus-Uzbekistan interregional cooperation prospects” that was held as part of the forum.
“Over the past three years, the supplies to Uzbekistan have been increasing steadily, there has been a 2-times increase every year on average, which suggests that the demand for our products has been growing,” noted Aleksandr Pshenny. “In 2023, the exports of woodworking and pulp and paper products grew by over 50%. Our companies supply almost the entire assortment of their products to Uzbekistan,” he remarked.
Several enterprises of the woodworking and pulp and paper industries have already signed contracts to supply products to Uzbekistan. Thus, Svetlogorsk Pulp and Cardboard Mill signed agreements with two Uzbek companies to ship bleached softwood pulp. Newsprint Mill inked an agreement to deliver offset paper and paper bags. The total amount of contracts is $17 million. The newsprint mill also signed an agreement of intent to sell lumber to Uzbekistan.
In addition to that, on the sidelines of the forum, a cooperation roadmap in the woodworking industry was signed between Belarus and Uzbekistan.
The purpose of the visit of the delegation of woodworking and pulp and paper industry enterprises was to explore new avenues of cooperation and conclude contracts. The delegation includes representatives of seven enterprises.