Business news

GOMEL, 17 June (BelTA) – It was a good decision to take confectionery factories Spartak and Kommunarka under state control, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said at the meeting with the personnel of the confectionery factory Spartak on 17 June, BelTA has learned.

“I do not absolutely regret the decisions I had made to retake these enterprises under state control,” the President assured. The interests of the state were a priority for him. “These enterprises should belong to the state. If they do not belong to the state, they should be fully controlled by the state, should be operated by the state,” he said.

“Your enterprise was in the spotlight in the first years of my presidency when mass privatization started. For of all, the enterprises making foodstuffs, clothes and other popular things were privatized,” Alexander Lukashenko noted.

During the visit to the joint venture Spartak the President was informed about the prospects, production, economic, and financial standing of the enterprise. He was also briefed on the operation of the entire confectionery industry in Belarus. A lot was done to renovate and modernize the enterprise, raise the competitiveness of products in the past years after Spartak had been taken under the state control. The President got familiar with the technological processes of making new confectionery products using upgraded equipment. He also saw the Spartak exposition.

“Today I have seen what I wanted to see. You are working very well and are doing the right thing. You have modernized a lot and will continue this modernization. We will do our best to help you using national and regional budget funds,” the head of state.

Investments in the confectionery factory have increased in recent years. In the past three years, 97% of investments were used to renovate and modernize major premises. The main sources of investments were the company’s own funds and bank loans.

As of 1 January 2013, equipment deterioration reached 64%. As of 1 January 2016, this figure was reduced to 46.1%. A new waffles lineup was launched in January. It is one of the examples of successful modernization. As a result, this lineup produces in-demand and competitive products. About 40 jobs were created.

Apart from expanding domestic deliveries, Spartak is also developing the network of brand shops and boosting export. In 2015-2016, the factory signed export contracts with such countries as China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, Australia, Lebanon, and Canada. Spartak products also sell well in Russia, Czechia, Israel, the USA, Ukraine, etc.

The President was assured that in 2-3 years Spartak will reach the level of the best confectionery factories in Europe.