Business news

MINSK, 9 March (BelTA) – Russia’s Kursk Oblast is interested in buying Belarusian mining machines and agricultural ones, BelTA learned from Alexander Krivolapov, Kursk Oblast Vice Governor, on 9 March.

“Since the Kursk Oblast administration and the Belarus government signed the agreement on trade, economic, scientific, technical, and cultural cooperation in 2012, the trade turnover has increased by more than six times,” noted Alexander Krivolapov.

The Vice Governor reminded that in Kursk Oblast there is an ore deposit that will last at least 300 years. The Mikhailovsky ore mining and processing factory operates the deposit. “Today managers of the enterprise are part of our delegation. Supplies of BelAZ trucks, their components, and components connected with automobile tires are under consideration,” noted Alexander Krivolapov.

In his words, the possibility of supplying Belarusian agricultural machines to Kursk Oblast is under consideration as well. “The lineup of companies continues expanding. Today or tomorrow a number of agreements will be signed with four Belarusian companies and two Russian ones,” he stated.

Alexander Krivolapov also mentioned cooperation in food trade, which is always on the radar of the oblast administration. In his words, Kursk Oblast highly appreciates the quality of Belarusian products. The Russian region is also interested in developing greenhouse agriculture. Belarus can help create the relevant enterprises by sharing the technologies. “Our research institutions also cooperate as well as agricultural enterprises, which take care of seed breeding, selection,” noted the Vice Governor of Kursk Oblast.

Humanitarian cooperation is also high on the agenda. “We cooperate in the area of higher education, cultural affairs, youth policy. It is not accidental that our itinerary is built in a way to allow Kursk Oblast Governor Alexander Mikhailov to visit your remarkable Great Patriotic War museum at the end of the day where he will meet with the veterans, who took an active part in the Battle of Kursk. They will be awarded souvenirs as well as medals commemorating the 70^th anniversary of the Battle of Kursk,” said Alexander Krivolapov.

A delegation of Kursk Oblast, Russia is in Belarus on a regular visit on 9-10 March. The delegation is led by Kursk Oblast Governor Alexander Mikhailov. The eighth session of the joint working group on cooperation took place on 9 March. During the session the sides summed up results achieved in 2013-2014. A number of documents were signed, including an agreement between the Kursk Oblast investment promotion agency and the national center for marketing and price studies of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, an agreement between a Mozyr-based housing construction company and a Kursk-based investment and real estate development company on cooperation in building homes in Kursk Oblast in the period till 2020.

In 2014 Belarus-Kursk Oblast trade reached $243 million. Belarus’ share in Kursk Oblast’s total foreign trade was 21.3%. Belarus accounted for 43% of Kursk Oblast’s trade with the CIS states.