MINSK, 12 August (BelTA) – Enterprises of the Belarusian timber, woodworking, pulp and paper industry concern Bellesbumprom increased their output by nearly 2% in H1 2020, BelTA has learned.
Bellesbumprom enterprises kept working despite the coronavirus pandemic and managed to avoid a drastic decrease in performance. Their output in H1 2020 increased by nearly 2% in comparison with H1 2019. Sales profitability totaled 7%, up from 5.3% in H1 2019.
Bellesbumprom enterprises demonstrated an increase in all the performance parameters in Q1 2020. Their export dropped in April-May due to lower sales on foreign markets, due to the closure of borders, and the introduction of quarantine measures. The enterprises managed to restore shipping volumes in June: 35.5% up from May. The June output exceeded the figure registered in May by 24.5%. The stock in storage started dwindling fast in June and does not exceed usual volumes that can promptly satisfy demand spikes now.
In H1 2020 Bellesbumprom enterprises exported $269.4 million worth of merchandise, 94.8% as against January-June 2019. The export growth rate totaled 91.5% in January-May. According to the latest data, the figure went up to 97% in January-July and is expected to exceed 100% in January-August. Thus, the export volume is gradually recovering. Bellesbumprom is confident the enterprises will manage to show even higher export figures at the end of the year.
In H1 2020 Bellesbumprom enterprises sold 71.3% of their output on foreign markets, nearly 3 percentage points up from H1 2019. Bellesbumprom products were shipped to 56 countries. The share of non-CIS states continued rising and reached 51.8% in H1 2020, up from 49.9% in H1 2019.
