Business news

GOMEL, 25 October (BelTA) – The trade between Belarus’ Gomel Oblast and Ukraine has added almost 25% annually for the past three years, Gomel Oblast Governor Vladimir Dvornik said at the official meeting of the heads of regions of Belarus and Ukraine during the 1st Forum of Regions in Gomel on 25 October, BelTA has learned.

According to the governor, 2018 marks 25 years of cooperation between Ukraine and Gomel Oblast. Over the time Gomel Oblast has signed documents on interregional cooperation with eight Ukrainian regions. “Over the past three years the trade between Gomel Oblast and Ukraine has totaled almost $1.5 billion, demonstrating an annual increase of 25%. Kiev, Kiev Oblast, Chernigov Oblast and Zhitomir Oblast are the biggest parters of Gomel Oblast in trade with Ukraine,” Vladimir Dvornik said.

About 150 enterprises of Gomel Oblast export their products to the neighboring country. Ukraine buys fertilizers, liquefied gases, fuel, rye flour, meat and dairy products. “The Gomel Meat and Dairy Company constantly expands its presence on the Ukrainian market. In 2017, the company’s exports to the Ukrainian market increased by 70%. This year’s growth rate made up 120% as against a year ago. We expect a 25% increase next year as well. Gomelglass products are popular in Ukraine. Today, the company sells 30% of its flat glass and more than half of energy saving glass to Ukraine,” Vladimir Dvornik said.

The governor said that over the past seven years Ukraine has injected more than $70 million in FDI into the economy of Gomel Oblast. “Today, there are 290 enterprises with Ukrainian capital in Belarus. Almost 40% of them are located in Gomel Oblast. Some of them are residents of FEZ Gomel-Raton,” he added. According to Vladimir Dvornik, a fifth of the products made in the free economic zone is shipped to Ukraine.

In Belarus there are five plants with the participation of Ukrainian capital that assemble industrial goods, including Gomel car building plant. Among the promising joint projects, the head of the region called a project to build a new transport corridor along the Dnieper River and a port terminal in the village of Nizhnie Zhary and also a project to set up a production for applying polymeric coating on metal surfaces in Mozyr District.

Addressing the participants of the meeting, Vladimir Dvornik expressed confidence that the 1st Forum of Regions of Belarus and Ukraine will help the parties to identify ways and flesh out areas for future mutually beneficial socio-economic cooperation.