Trade Turnover Between Belarus, Russia in Decline :: Charter'97 :: News

Over the four months of 2002, as compared with the analogous period last year, there took place certain decrease in the trade volume between Russia and Belarus, reported the “Soyuz-info” agency with a reference to the director of the foreign trade department of the Trade Industrial Chamber of Belarus Gennady Cherneiko. According to what he said, the trade turnover constituted 95,5% to the level of the four months last year. However, despite this, “Russia convincingly takes the first place among Belarus’ trade partners.” It stands for 56,7% of the total country’s exterior trade volume.

Cherneiko also added that as compared to the 4 months of 2001 the Belarusian export fell in size greater than import – by 77,8 and 54,1mln dollars respectively. “We link this tendency to the intensified activism of the Russian agricultural producers and, partially, to the successful price policies at world’s energy markets, which enables Russia to import more foodstuffs from the far-away countries,” – said Cherneiko.

At the same time there’s an escalating competition between Russian and Belarusian manufacturers at the Russia’s market. Cherneiko noted that practically all heads of companies associate this with more preferable economic conditions, including low tariffs on energy resources, railway transportation, taxation system, significant foreign investments, credit policy towards domestic producers in some recipient regions.