GOMEL, 22 May (BelTA) – BelAZ trucks should replace American and Japanese vehicles in Magadan Oblast. Belarusian Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade Minister Aleksei Bogdanov made the statement after a session of the working group on Belarus’ cooperation with Russia’s Magadan Oblast, BelTA has learned.
The minister noted that a broad range of matters had been discussed in a constructive manner during the session of the working group. “We focused not on what figures we have today because the trade turnover fails to live up to our real capabilities. We focused on what needs to be done in order to promptly increase our mutual trade turnover,” he specified.
Aleksei Bogdanov described pouring more efforts into deliveries of Belarusian mechanical engineering products as a number one topic. “Particularly heavy mechanical engineering products. Gold is mined in this region [Magadan Oblast]. BelAZ haul trucks should replace American and Japanese vehicles over there. Our enterprises need to promptly increase deliveries of vehicles over there and set up a multibrand dealership. Quality aftersales service is our key competitive advantage,” the minister emphasized.
Participants of the session also discussed deliveries of Belarusian food. “We’ve agreed to expand and increase deliveries of meat and dairy products. We have plenty of those. In exchange we will buy fish and fats for our cosmetic industry, for healthcare. Including Omega 3. They produce a lot of organic Omega 3,” Aleksei Bogdanov clarified.
“Extraction and processing of gold in our territory is interesting as well. Representatives of Magadan Oblast companies that specialize in this kind of business have visited [the Gomel-based jewelry] factory Kristall. Certain agreements are in place. Apart from that, the joint extraction of precious metals has been mentioned. We will explore this possibility. Things are not exactly simple in this line of work. But deliveries of raw materials to Kristall are an interesting idea,” the minister stressed.
“There are many areas. And it is necessary to promptly realize the opportunities after formulating them on paper,” he summarized.
An agreement between the Belarusian government and the Magadan Oblast government on cooperation in trade, economy, science, technology, culture, and humanitarian affairs was also signed during the session of the working group.
