01 March 2026, 17:36

Distinctive features of Union State unified industrial, agricultural policies outlined

An archive photo

MINSK, 1 March (BelTA) – In an interview with the First News TV Channel, Head of the Belarus President Administration Dmitry Krutoi discussed the Union State’s single industrial and agricultural products, the importance of shared technological sovereignty, and the future direction of Belarus-Russia cooperation in these sectors, BelTA reports.

What support programs can manufacturers in Belarus and Russia count on? This topic was discussed during the Union State Supreme State Council meeting in Moscow. “Industry took center stage on the agenda. What did our presidents discuss? After Decree No. 3 on a unified industrial policy was adopted last January, Belarus and Russia set to work on a list of programs throughout 2025 and 2026, aiming to give our manufacturers access to all support instruments available in either country. The progress is remarkable. Last year, there were 11 such programs; for 2026, our two key regulators – Russia’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and Belarus’ Industry Ministry – have already approved 22 programs, nearly doubling the number. And as an element of a unified industrial policy, our leaders have launched a pilot project – the concept, or instrument, of ‘Union State goods’. So far, only microelectronics products have been included, as this is the most important and highest priority area of our industrial cooperation. We are also talking about machine tools and trucks. Of course, we emphasized that if we expand the list of these products quickly, by the end of 2026 we will have developed the full range of industrial products that will subsequently participate in these support and financing programs. In fact, our industrial production and product range are very similar. This includes tractors, combines, and elevators. Therefore, market protection and the instruments used for it must be significantly strengthened. This is a joint directive from our presidents. The leaders have endorsed an approach making technological sovereignty and industrial cooperation the core priorities for the next three years. This approach may involve tools we previously hesitated to use; given the current circumstances, they will now be employed more boldly. They also instructed us to carefully review the balance of production and sales for specific types of industrial products, taking into account the proportions of our markets,” the head of the Belarus President Administration emphasized.

The Supreme State Council meeting also discussed issues of a unified policy in agriculture. “It was reported that an agreement on a unified agricultural policy, similar to the Decree on a Unified Industrial Policy, is essentially ready. It will be subject to minor adjustments throughout 2026. However, it also includes a balance of food production. Our exports are estimated at $7 billion, while Russian deliveries to Belarus stand at approximately $2.5–3 billion. This amounts to a trade turnover of $10 billion in food and food products. Therefore, we would also like to see very clear and transparent rules here,” Dmitry Krutoi noted.