MINSK, 18 February (BelTA) – The Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange (BUCE) sketched out prospects of cooperation with business circles in three regions of Russia (Chelyabinsk Oblast, Irkutsk Oblast, Tomsk Oblast) during online negotiations, the BUCE press service told BelTA.
The events were organized with the assistance of regional export support centers and chambers of commerce and industry for the sake of involving small and medium-sized enterprises in the work of the BUCE electronic platform.
According to BUCE, companies from Chelyabinsk Oblast were particularly active in exchange trading in 2025, which resulted in higher turnover than in Irkutsk Oblast and Tomsk Oblast. Thus, over the past year Chelyabinsk Oblast traders purchased a total of $2.6 million worth of dry milk, meat products, lumber, and non-ferrous metal scrap via BUCE while ferrous metal products, ferroalloys, and industrial equipment components were mainly sold on the Belarusian market. Last year the total value of exchange import from Chelyabinsk Oblast amounted to $3.5 million.
In 2026 there are plans to focus on expanding the range of goods involved in mutual exchange trade. In particular, after a presentation of the exchange platform a major Chelyabinsk vermiculite producer expressed its readiness to supply its products to Belarus. Thanks to its wide range of applications this commodity is expected to be in demand among Belarusian trade participants.
The source noted that the matter of diversifying the structure of commodities being traded is also a priority in exchange trade with Irkutsk Oblast and Tomsk Oblast. At present trade with these regions is limited to the export of Belarusian sawn timber, which does not allow the full potential of cooperation in the exchange sphere to be realized.
To address this issue, BUCE intends to join forces with the export support centers of Irkutsk Oblast and Tomsk Oblast in order to raise the awareness of local entrepreneurs about the possibilities of using the exchange trade mechanism as an alternative to traditional distribution channels.
As of 18 February 2026 as many as 124 commercial entities from Chelyabinsk Oblast were accredited with BUCE. Irkutsk Oblast and Tomsk Oblast were represented by 13 and five commercial entities respectively.
The public joint-stock company (OAO) Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange was established in 2004, with its first trading session conducted in June 2005. BUCE is one of the largest mercantile exchanges in Eastern Europe. Its key function is to assist Belarusian companies with exporting their products and assist foreign companies with entering the Belarusian market. The commodity exchange facilitates trade in metals, timber, agricultural products, and a broad choice of industrial and consumer goods.
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