Business news

23 Jul 2024

Parkhomchik opines on how to grow trade with Russia's Amur Oblast

MINSK, 23 July (BelTA) – Belarus' Deputy Prime Minister Piotr Parkhomchik outlined his vision of how to increase trade with Russia's Amur Oblast as he met with Amur Oblast Governor Vasily Orlov, BelTA has learned.

“Inter-regional contacts are a solid foundation for cooperation between Belarus and Russia. Our relations with the Russian Federation have always been great. We are open to each other and ready to share our expertise and knowledge,” said Piotr Parkhomchik. He recalled that 2021 was a very fruitful year for Belarus' cooperation with Amur Oblast. That year a large batch of BelAZ dump trucks was delivered to this region. According to the deputy prime minister, there are many products that can become drivers of trade between Belarus and Amur Oblast.

“For example, our industry is versatile. We have preserved and upgraded the capacities that remained after the collapse of the USSR. The industry of Belarus is now very competitive, domestic industrial products are in demand. Despite all external challenges, Belarus' economy keeps growing. Industry grew by 7.1% this year, GDP expanded by 5%. This suggests that the West’s attempts to hamper our development are futile,” he emphasized.

Belarusian equipment, including agricultural equipment (combines, tractors, aggregates), is in demand in the vastness of Amur Oblast. Moreover, Belarus can offer machinery both for small-scale and large-scale farming. “We have a lot on offer, we are ready to supply this equipment and provide maintenance service to it,” noted Piotr Parkhomchik.

Passenger vehicles are another promising avenue of cooperation. “We are doing very well in this industrial sector, orders for our equipment are mounting. We have made a decision to increase capacity of Minsk Automobile Plant. At the end of this year we will complete the construction of a new assembly shop, which will allow us to nearly double the output of passenger transport. Russia has a demand for this type of products. The product line-up is big and includes buses with an internal combustion engine, electric buses, trolleybuses with autonomous run, and trams. All these vehicles are popular in Russia. We have set up assembly factories in the Russian Federation. Yet, Russians can also get equipment directly from the plant - MAZ or Belkommunmash,” the deputy prime minister explained.

Belarus also offers wildfire equipment to Amur Oblast. “In addition, we have developed an early warning system for wildland fires. It is very effective. The number of fires is large, but they do not necessarily lead to big fires. The system issues a warning and the equipment extinguishes these fires fast,” noted Piotr Parkhomchik.

Another important area of cooperation is agriculture. There are good cooperation prospects in seed production, supplies of poultry meat, beef, and pork. “We are building farms far beyond the borders of Belarus. If Amur Oblast wants, we can deliver turnkey projects using time-tested equipment produced in Belarus. Such projects have a high degree of effectiveness. We are now running an ambitious program to build farms in every region of Belarus. These modern farms boast the latest technology and great performance. Our experience can come in handy for you in making managerial decisions,” added the deputy prime minister.

Piotr Parkhomchik emphasized the importance of building direct academic contacts between Belarus and Amur Oblast. He emphasized that Belarusian scientists are developing many important solutions and testing them in the real sector of the economy. It is also possible to collaborate in healthcare and production of pharmaceuticals.

“Our construction specialists are very agile and are ready to work nearly anywhere in Russia. We build many social facilities and we offer reasonable prices. If you are interested, Belarusian construction specialists are ready to travel to your region and build the facilities that your region needs,” the deputy prime minister emphasized.