Business news

According to the Pskov Oblast Governor, the farming sector is one of the most promising areas in interregional cooperation. “We have recently made a huge step forward in big breeding. We have built a number of pig-breeding farms and reached 1 million head management capacity. We are planning to make it 2 million next year. In this parameter Pskov Oblast is ranked first in the Northwestern Federal District and third-fourth in Russia. We are ready to share experience in livestock breeding,” Andrei Turchak said.

According to Anatoly Lis, Brest Oblast specializes in pig breeding. Today the pig population in the region exceeds 450,000 head. “There are big pig breeding farms in Brest Oblast such as Zapadny and Belobezhsky, each breeding almost 100,000 head. Brest Oblast is also leading in dairy cattle breeding in the country. In milk production per capita, which as over 1 tonne per oblast resident last year, we surpass France, Germany and other European countries,” Brest Oblast Governor said.

In 2014 the trade between Brest and Pskov Oblasts totaled $12.6 million (a 92% increase). The main exports of Brest Oblast to the Russian region include vegetables, fruit, meat and dairy products, poultry. Brest Oblast imports Pskov floor coating, knitwear, copper wire and insulated cable.

The heads of the oblasts are confident that there are prospects to increase trade and cooperation. Apart from livestock breeding, it can be flax cultivation and processing, agricultural engineering and melioration. “We can develop cooperation not only in the production sector but also in culture, tourism and sports. We have a lot of opportunities for cooperation. We need strong regional relations with Pskov Oblast,” Anatoly Lis said.

The Pskov delegation was also interested in solid domestic waste management methods in Brest Oblast. “We are going to pay a visit to the Brest rubbish recycling plant. The practices are really good not only at the national level and across the CIS. We have a lot to learn. We also plan to visit the free economic zone Brest. Pskov Oblast has been implementing a federal project of a special economic zone. I think we can develop cooperation in this area as well,” Andrei Turchak noted.

The Pskov delegation began their tour of Brest Oblast with the visit to the Brest Hero Fortress Memorial. According to Andrei Turchak, every Russian should visit the place. “It is a place of our common memory. I am deeply impressed. It is my first visit to the memorial. I will certainly bring my children here,” the Pskov Oblast Governor told media.