Plans to raise Belarus' trade with Russia's Yaroslavl Oblast to $0.5bn by year end

 Belarus and Yaroslavl Oblast intend to raise mutual trade turnover to $0.5 billion by the end of the year, BelTA learned from Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Russia Dmitry Krutoi after the ambassador met with Governor of Russia's Yaroslavl Oblast Mikhail Yevrayev on 16 August, BelTA has learned.

Dmitry Krutoi said: “We have a very good spectrum of relations as it is. I think this year we will get up close to the significant trade figure of $0.5 billion this year. For Belarus Yaroslavl Oblast is one of the top 25 most significant regions in terms of investment cooperation, economic, financial, and cultural cooperation. There is no doubt that manufacturing industry is at the heart. During today's meeting we paid a great deal of attention to industrial enterprises, manufacturing cooperation, trade, import substitution, future deliveries, and multibrand centers.”

The ambassador went on saying: “Nevertheless, other economy branches have a huge potential, too. Those are light industry (knitting, sewing, and footwear industries), petrochemical industry taking into account Yaroslavl Oblast's potential ranging from tires, polyethylene, paints, varnishes to various fibers. The governor and I agreed to make a large dedicated business mission on the basis of Yaroslavl Oblast's representative office in Moscow where 5-10 top enterprises of every economy branch from Belarus and Yaroslavl Oblast will be represented. We will also try to make a genuine program on cooperation and interaction, which will include not only joint deliveries as part of manufacturing cooperation schemes but possibly investment projects.”

Among promising areas of Belarus' cooperation with this Russian region Dmitry Krutoi also mentioned woodworking, pulp and paper industry, food industry. “As for agribusiness, we've agreed to make an individual subprogram within the framework of our joint working group and the colleagues will make up their minds in more detail about specific projects. Possibilities include dairy complexes, poultry farming. The oblast focuses on animal husbandry but animal husbandry needs forage supply among other things,” he clarified.

Dmitry Krutoi also mentioned interaction in tourism. A direct flight between Yaroslavl and Minsk could certainly give a nudge to tourism, he remarked. “We will discuss it another time because we have to think about subsidizing at the initial stage of these flights. On the whole, the exchange angle of the tourism potential is absolutely untapped. Yaroslavl is the capital city of the Golden Ring. The city and the oblast have an absolutely unique potential in this field. It would be very interesting for Belarusians,” the official added.