Business news

Krutoi: Belarus’ trade with Leningrad Oblast doubles in five years

ST. PETERSBURG, 8 September (BelTA) – Belarus’ trade turnover with Russia’s Leningrad Oblast has doubled over the past five years, Head of the Belarus President Administration Dmitry Krutoi said at a meeting with Leningrad Oblast Governor Alexander Drozdenko, BelTA has learned.

“Today at the meeting, we have reviewed the results of the previous bilateral cooperation program. Over the past five years, trade turnover has doubled. Many new areas and projects have emerged, some of them quite unconventional. Thanks to Alexander Yuryevich Drozdenko, under the region’s gasification program, Belgazstroy Holding Company, working in cooperation with Gazprom under a separate agreement, has embarked on the construction of distribution gas pipelines in four localities of Luzhsky District in Leningrad Oblast. There are operating efficiently. Should we fully deliver on this contract by the end of 2027, we will be in a position to take on new construction sites. Gazprom has indicated its readiness to expand the program further,” Dmitry Krutoi said.

Belarusian construction specialists were also invited to participate in building the Vysotsky Grain Terminal. At first, the idea was met with some skepticism, as the project is technologically complex and Belarusian builders have limited experience with port infrastructure development in Russia. “But here our teams have gained the relevant expertise and secured a contract worth RUB4 billion. Russian partners have also begun to partially use Belarusian building materials, particularly reinforced concrete structures, which are performing well in this project. If this proves successful, the companies are ready to bring our teams in for other industrial projects of a different profile,” Dmitry Krutoi noted.

Among the key issues to be addressed during the upcoming visit of the Leningrad Oblast governor and his large delegation to the “INNOPROM. Belarus” international industrial exhibition will be the “Clean Forests of Leningrad Oblast” initiative and the advancement of the timber industry.

In addition, the 14th meeting of the bilateral cooperation commission of Leningrad Oblast and Belarus will take place in late September to early October. Timber industry representatives from the Russian region have already conducted preliminary work in our country, meeting with the Ministry of Forestry and studying the range of equipment offered by AMKODOR-LESMASH. This primarily includes logging machines for sanitary felling.

According to Dmitry Krutoi, the plans of the Russian region are similar to those Belarus had at one time. In addition to harvesting timber destined for logging, they include the development of boiler houses using alternative, local fuels. The main ones are wood chips and wood pellets. Belarus has been running this program very effectively for 14 years and has already hit the goal of sourcing 12% of its total energy from wood fuel. The figure is even higher for municipal heating plants. Now Leningrad Oblast is looking to replicate that success.

A project is being implemented to set up a production and service center in Gatchina, coordinated by Amkodor. Belarus has been allocated a 2.5-hectare land plot on preferential terms. The issue of building this facility is currently under consideration, with due regard for the presence of Minsk Tractor Works and Minsk Automobile Plant in the region.

“Export, leasing, financial instruments and the funds we allocate for the purchase of conventional machinery must also be extended to the construction of such facilities, which are, in a sense, an investment in the future. But without service, a modern spare parts warehouse, and the ability to carry out repairs within days, or a week at most, a successful presence in Leningrad Oblast’s highly competitive market is simply out of the question. That is why this project is a key part of the next three-year cooperation plan,” Dmitry Krutoi added.

He also thanked Alexander Drozdenko for his personal support of the “Belarusian Village” project, which they plan to replicate further across Russia.

The governor of Leningrad Oblast emphasized that this year at the “INNOPROM. Belarus” exhibition, the region will present its own exposition, with several major companies and potential investors taking part. Visits to a number of enterprises will take place, and a third roadmap will be signed. The first two showed a very high level of fulfillment of agreements and effectiveness of cooperation.