MINSK, 15 June (BelTA) – Russia's Bashkortostan would like to increase the export of agricultural products to Belarus, Deputy Director of the Bashkortostan Export Promotion Center Rita Akchurina said, BUCE Press Secretary Roman Yaniv told a BelTA correspondent.
The use of the BUCE import substitution platform by producers of agricultural products and industrial goods from Bashkortostan were discussed at a joint online seminar of BUCE and the Uzbekistan Commodity Exchange. The seminar was supported by the Bashkortostan Export Promotion Center. Taking part in it were about 30 entrepreneurs from the Russian region.
According to Deputy Director of the Bashkortostan Export Promotion Center Rita Akchurina, the export of agricultural products from Bashkortostan almost doubled over the past year. The biggest contributors to the export growth were small businesses that took advantage of the favorable situation in foreign markets. In this regard, the BUCE import substitution platform can become an additional sales channel for Bashkortostan exporters. “Amidst the high demand for agricultural products abroad, our enterprises are extremely interested in increasing the export of sunflower oil, meal and cake, as well as cereals and legumes. As far as I know, these products are also in demand in Belarus, so I consider this area of cooperation one of the most promising ones. Chemical products, plastic and rubber products are also among Bashkortostan's major export commodities. Applications to sell these products could be placed on the import substitution platform, which will expand the range of import-substituting products already available for purchase,” Rita Akchurina believes.
Aleksandr Bashliy, Head of the Foreign Relations Office of the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange, suggested considering the possibility of purchasing Belarus-made import-substituting goods, especially since many of them are already available on the platform of the exchange. “First of all, these are engineering products, equipment, building materials and textiles. The leading manufacturers of these goods are accredited on the exchange, ready to promptly ship the required volumes to consumers in Bashkortostan. Moreover, even if the products you need are not in the import substitution electronic catalog, they can be brought in or made to order by placing an appropriate application. This option is available only on our platform,” the BUCE representative emphasized.
Founded in 2004, the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange conducted its first trading session in June 2005. BUCE is one of the largest commodity exchanges in Eastern Europe. Its main function is to assist Belarusian enterprises with export and foreign companies with entering the Belarusian market. BUCE sells a wide range of metal, forestry, and agricultural products, industrial and consumer goods.
