Trade between Belarus, Russia's Kabardino-Balkaria up by 61% in January-September

Trade between Belarus and Russia's Kabardino-Balkaria surged by 61% in January-September, Belarusian Information Minister Vladimir Pertsov said during a meeting of the joint working group on cooperation between Belarus and Kabardino-Balkaria, BelTA learned from the Information Ministry.

In January-September 2022 trade between Belarus and Kabardino-Balkaria amounted to $12.1 million ($7.5 million in the same period in 2021), or up by 61%, Vladimir Pertsov said. "We will close the year on a good note. We have stepped up cooperation across almost all areas, which attests to the commitment and interest of the parties," the minister emphasized.

The export by companies affiliated with the Belarusian light industry concern Bellegprom increased by 2.1 times to total $342,200 in January-September of this year. During this period, the companies affiliated with the Belarusian food industry concern Belgospishcheprom supplied products worth $245,000 to Kabardino-Balkaria, or up by 67.9% year-on-year.

Vladimir Pertsov hailed the progress in industrial cooperation. In January-October 2022, trade amounted to $2.602 million (growth rate at 364%). This is without taking into account the goods supplied through the commodity distribution network.

Major exports to Kabardino-Balkaria were steel products (mainly fittings) by Belarusian Steel Works Plant. In 2021 the Belarusian producer supplied 1111.7 tonnes of steel products for a total of $684,300. In January-October of 2022, 3815.4 tonnes worth $ 2.339 million were sold (growth rate at 342%).

Mogilevliftmash is ready to fully meet Kabardino-Balkaria's demand for elevators both for new buildings and as part of elevator replacement programs. The Belarusian manufacturer, as part of the import substitution effort, is exploring new and promising areas of business to make high-speed elevators and floor escalators,” Vladimir Pertsov noted. "Today, one of the promising areas of bilateral cooperation, in my opinion, is the implementation of projects to update the fleet of passenger, cargo, special and agricultural machines."

In January-November 2022 Minsk Tractor Works (MTZ) supplied 75 tractors to the region through its own distribution network for a total of RUB182.6 million, Gomselmash shipped three grain and one fodder harvester for a total of RUB57 million.

Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ) sent proposals for the supply of MAZ passenger vehicles with presentation materials and financial instruments to the regional operator of municipal solid waste management Ecologistics in August 2022. In December 2022 the plant sent a technical and commercial proposal for MAZ lifting and municipal vehicles. Belarusian manufacturers of trucks, passenger, special and agricultural equipment are ready to supply their products,” the minister added.

According to him, the agro-industrial sector also achieved good results. In January-October 2022, the trade in food products and agricultural raw materials of Belarusian organizations with Kabardino-Balkaria amounted to $4.6 million (up 88.2% year-on-year). Belarusian exports reached $939.7 million (up 3.9%). The nomenclature of exports expanded in January-October 2022 to include cheese and soft drinks.

Belarus first imported peas for sowing, some types of seed maize, canned tomatoes and apples from Kabardino-Balkaria. According to Vladimir Pertsov, the products are supplied under direct foreign trade agreements using the possibilities of the subjects of the commodity distribution network located in the Central Federal District and other subjects of Russia.

A number of enterprises of Brest Oblast are interested in supplying mineral and organic fertilizers, feed additives, technological equipment for the food industry and waste processing to Kabardino-Balkaria. The Brest office of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has sent relevant proposals to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic.

This year, following the decision of the Minsk City Hall, the administration of Partizansky District of Minsk has been assigned to develop cooperation with Kabardino-Balkaria and has asked to consider the possibility of concluding an agreement on cooperation between the district administration and the local administration of the Nalchik municipality.