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Trading houses, fairs, IKEA replacement: What Belarus offers to Astrakhan Oblast

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ASTRAKHAN, 31 January (BelTA) - Belarusian Ambassador to Russia Dmitry Krutoi commented on the plans of Belarus and Russia’s Astrakhan Oblast in terms of trade as he talked to the media, BelTA has learned.
 
"Our president has instructed us to promote Belarusian stores in Russia similar in concept to First National Trading House. We suggested this project to Astrakhan. We will see whether it will be a separate trading house or we will implement this project as a large fair. We will work it out," Ambassador Dmitry Krutoi noted.
 
Of particular interest for the Russian region are goods made by the Belarusian timber and light industries. "Belarusian furniture is very popular in Astrakhan. Our key manufacturers have stepped up supplies. We also suggested a Good Lakk concept to replace IKEA. In addition to furniture and board products, this project involves products of the light industry, Orsha Flax Mill and others. In short, it will be the Belarusian IKEA in Astrakhan. Two shopping centers are now fighting over who will host this project. I think this year we will close this matter," the ambassador said.
 
Deliveries from Astrakhan Oblast to Belarus are also growing. "In 2022, the share of chemical goods increased in the structure of our trade. As part of import substitution, we began to buy a lot of sulphur, phenols and unprocessed zinc from gas chemical and petrochemical facilities in Astrakhan Oblast. Taking into account the problems with Poland and other European countries, which supplied us with a lot of fruits and vegetables, we decided to replace them with goods from Astrakhan Oblast. The commodity structure has expanded with tomatoes, watermelons, melons, and fish. Today, the Belarusian prime minister agreed with the governor of the region that specialty fish shops of Astrakhan producers will be opened in Minsk. We will get rid of intermediaries, distributors whose margins increase the prices of products," Belarusian Ambassador Dmitry Krutoi noted.

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