Lukashenko directs Belarus’ light industry to work actively in domestic and Russian markets
The President directs the light industry to relish the opportunity and actively work in the domestic and Russian markets. Over nine months of 2022, all enterprises of the country's light industry manufactured Br3bn of products, and Bellegprom Concern’s enterprises – Br1.5bn. The situation in the light industry has been discussed today with Bellegprom’s Head, Tatiana Lugina.
In particular, Ms. Lugina mentioned some figures and forecasts, “In eight months, the index of industrial production amounted to 95.2 percent, and we plan to reach the 100 percent level by the end of the year. In March-April, the industry reacted ambiguously and acutely to the processes that took place during those months. In May, we suspended the recession and, until September, we restored the positive dynamics. In Q3, volumes increased by almost 9 percent, while exports increased by 24 percent from May through September. We consider increasing exports to be the main task.”
Aleksandr Lukashenko clarified, “Export is good, and will not get away from it. However, at one time – not only because of your fault (in general, that was our fault that we had given the domestic market to God knows whom) – we imported both second-hand and branded goods, having a gap in sectors where the country's light industry enterprises should work (there are about 2,000 of them).”
The President stated that many foreign companies, including those working in the light industry, had left the Russian market. “Imported goods are not so often sold in our country as well now. So this is an opportunity – a chance to occupy a niche in our main market (Russian) and in the domestic market. Therefore, if you fail to recover feet during this time, like other industries (i.e. agriculture), then you are worthless. No one bothers you anymore, you are monopolists. You have no real competition. That is the opportunity of this difficult period, and I have always been talking about this,” he said.
Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed, “The crisis is hard, difficult, but it is a chance. This is an opportunity. We have everything for this: fabrics, sewing machines, and qualified personnel (technologists, managers, and seamstresses). Therefore, it all depends on us, on how we will manage to perform. If you have any problems, please voice them – and we will solve them. It is easier to solve them now.”
“This is an absolutely just recommendation: a comment on the domestic market,” Ms. Lugina agreed.
