Business news

IRKUTSK, 4 October (BelTA) – In H1 2018, the trade between Belarus and Irkutsk Oblast expanded by 44% compared to the same period a year before, Irkutsk Oblast Governor Sergei Levchenko said as he met with Belarusian and Russian journalists on 4 October, BelTA has learned.

The governor emphasized that Irkutsk Oblast maintains close contacts with Belarus. “They are underpinned by bilateral agreements in various fields,” he said. The region signed cooperation agreements with Brest Oblast, Vitebsk Oblast and several companies from Mogilev Oblast. Belarusian company Belshina has a trading house in Irkutsk. A joint venture with Mogilevliftmash has been recently set up in the region.

Sergei Levchenko emphasized that the agreements concluded with Belarus several years ago are being implemented in full. Business meetings are held on a regular basis. In particular, a delegation from Irkutsk will pay another visit to Belarus in a month.

“Our efforts are bearing fruit,” Sergei Levchenko said. In his words, before 2016 the trade between Belarus and Irkutsk Oblast averaged $60-70 million per annum, in 2017 it rose to $77.7 million, while in H1 2018 it already hit $55 million. “Compared to 2016, the trade expanded by 16% last year and by 44% in January-June this year,” Sergei Levchenko noted. He added that the increase came on the back of mechanical engineering.

The governor believes that Belarus and Irkutsk Oblast have great cooperation prospects in tractor production, forestry and some other industries.

The governor met with Belarusian and Russian journalists as part of the media tour “The Belarusian diaspora of the Baikal region: Role, activities, uniqueness” organized by the Standing Committee of the Belarus-Russia Union State, Belarus' National Press Center and the Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency.