Business news

MINSK, 20 March (BelTA) – Minsk Oblast will step up foreign economic cooperation with Brazil and China, Minsk Oblast Vice Governor Alexander Turchin said at the meeting of the oblast executive committee held on 20 March to review the oblast’s social and economic development in 2014, BelTA has learned.

Export diversification remains one of the main goals for 2015. According to Alexander Turchin, Brazil is one of the promising markets for Minsk Oblast. “Minsk Oblast signed an agreement on cooperation with Goias, a state in Brazil. This year the governor of the state has been invited to visit Minsk Oblast. Our products present on the Brazilian market, but not in the volume we would like them to be. Therefore, we have outlined a number of events to develop cooperation,” he explained.

As for China, Alexander Turchin said that the China-Belarus Industrial Park Great Stone project is implemented in Minsk Oblast. “We view China as a very promising partner. The Great Stone Industrial Park and FEZ Minsk are considered the key projects for the Minsk Oblast economy,” he said.

According to Alexander Turchin, several delegations from China are expected to visit Belarus in the near future. Among them will be representatives of China SINOMACH Heavy Industry Corporation which is one of the shareholders of the Great Stone Industrial Park.

In 2014 the Minsk Oblast trade in goods totaled $13839.3 million, or 7.1% to 2013. The export made up $7837.2 million (11% to 2013), the import - $6002.1 million (2.4%). Minsk Oblast posted trade surplus of $1835.1 million. The export of services stood at $570 million in 2014, or up 12.7% to 2013.

According to Alexander Turchin, meat and dairy exports made up $523.8 million, or 87.6% to 2013.