MINSK, 29 June (BelTA) – Belarus will cooperate with Russia's Tomsk Oblast in the field of agriculture and environmental conservation. This matter was discussed at the third meeting of the working group on cooperation between Belarus and Tomsk Oblast, BelTA has learned.
“We are expanding contacts with Tomsk Oblast in many areas, including light industry, food industry, agriculture, supplies of agricultural machinery and equipment, woodworking, and many more. Trade with Tomsk Oblast increased in 2021, and we will keep working on it as we have some untapped reserves. In addition, we will also collaborate in science, culture and education. Tomsk Oblast is already forging contacts with Belarusian educational institutions,” Belarus' Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Andrei Khudyk said.
The minister noted that active work is underway on environmental conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. The initiative to intensify cooperation in environment was supported in 2022, and a memorandum of understanding in the field of environmental protection will be signed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of Belarus and the Tomsk Oblast administration at the 9th Forum of Regions in Grodno.
Tomsk Oblast Acting Governor Vladimir Mazur said that the parties can achieve much more when it comes to trade. Cooperation in the forestry industry is of great interest to the Russian region. “Agriculture is another important avenue of cooperation, since food security is taking on new significance now, and Belarus has extensive experience in this area. In addition, our countries are doing pretty well in microelectronics, so we plan to exchange best practices with Belarusian colleagues in this field. We understand how important it is to establish close economic contacts with Belarus amidst the sanctions,” Vladimir Mazur noted.
Belarus' exports to Tomsk Oblast include agricultural and municipal machinery, equipment, fuel products, boilers, copper and copper products, starch and dairy products, plastics and plastic products, etc. Tomsk Oblast is ready to supply fish, pine nuts, vegetable raw materials for pharmaceutical industry and food products to Belarus.
