Lukashenko instructs consumer co-operation organisations to boost exports to far arc countries
During today’s general meeting of members of the Belarusian Republican Union of Consumer Societies (Belkoopsoyuz), the President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, noted the industry’s shortcomings in foreign economic activity
The Head of State cited the following statistics, “In total, last year, Belarus earned almost $50bn on foreign markets, while the contribution of consumer co-operation organisations to the national exports is equal to an arithmetic error: just hundredths of a percent. In 2022, Belkoopsoyuz organisations exported slightly more than $41m of goods – 13 percent down compared to 2020. In 2023, unfortunately, negative trends intensified, with exports totalling $33m – nearly 20 percent down against 2022.”
Moreover, there’s no product diversification. As before, the basis is made up of two low-processed goods: beef (41.5 percent of export value) and fur raw materials (40 percent), with almost all deliveries heading to Russia.
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted, “Yes, this is our main trading partner. However, boosting economic co-operation with other states – China, the far arc countries – is no less important. The task of expanding exports and increasing foreign currency is set for everyone, and you are no exception.”
