For the Vitebsk region, the current five-year plan will become a nationwide construction project in the agro-industrial complex
Today, the share of the agro-industrial complex in the gross regional product of the region is 20% and is comparable to the volume of industrial production (excluding oil and energy). As the head of the region noted, therefore, regional development largely depends on the development of rural areas. In the regions of the region, revenue is mainly generated by the agro-industrial complex. At the same time, the restraining factor for the accelerated development of the industry is the low level of its modernization, with the problem of labor resource deficit worsening annually.
— Therefore, the priority tasks for this five-year plan will remain to increase the prestige of working in rural areas, retain staff, further develop agro-industrial associations, and build new and modernize existing livestock complexes, — emphasized Nikolai Sherstnev. — The Head of State has approved for the Vitebsk region a mechanism for financing the construction of agricultural facilities by economic means and simplifying the procedure for their commissioning.
Over the five-year period, it is necessary to restore 15 cattle fattening complexes and 20 pig complexes in the region, the operational life of which is over 30-40 years with completely worn-out equipment, as well as a number of dairy farms. For strict adherence to technological processes in agriculture, modernization of facilities with the use of the latest equipment and technology is necessary. As a result, it is planned to increase the gross agricultural output by more than a quarter compared to the 2020 level.
In addition, during the current five-year period, it is planned to reduce dependence on hydrocarbon raw materials by at least 15%, increase export potential by 1.3 times, launch a new investment cycle through "future projects" and the implementation of at least 143 industrial investment projects in the regions worth more than 5 billion rubles.
The main growth points of the industrial complex for the period up to 2025 will be based on the maximum realization of the potential of industries, primarily through the deep processing of local raw materials. In particular, there is a large reserve in woodworking in this aspect, both at existing enterprises and thanks to newcomers to the industry, including residents of the Vitebsk FEZ (VMG WoodArt LLC and Akitamа LLC). The modernization of food industry organizations will continue; to load their capacities, it is necessary to develop raw material zones. The performance of the light industry will be ensured by modernized production facilities at Vitebsk Fur Factory and Orsha Linen Mill, as well as the implementation of robotic complexes at Belvest. In mechanical engineering, metallurgy, and the pharmaceutical industry, the focus will be on the production of new types of equipment and medicines. At the same time, the task is to increase the production of industrial products by at least 10% over the five-year period, noted Nikolai Sherstnev.
According to the Minister of Economy of Belarus Alexander Chervyakov, the development of the petrochemical complex should remain among the key development areas for the Vitebsk region.
— In this sector, the task is to extend the technological chains of oil processing and increase added value. To this end, the implementation of the investment program of Naftan OJSC will be continued, which will allow increasing the depth of oil refining to 90% and the yield of light petroleum products to 70%, as well as working on the creation of new production facilities for the output of low-volume petrochemical products, — believes the Minister of Economy.
Another priority for the region may be the use of the territory's logistical potential, including the industrial and logistics infrastructure of the "Bremimo-Orsha" special economic zone currently being created.
The implementation of the set tasks in the real sector of the economy will help maintain stability in the social sphere. The strengthening of the material and technical base of healthcare, education, culture, and sports institutions will continue.
— As a result, I want to emphasize: the lifestyle of our people should be a sustainable desire to live, learn, work, and fulfill their duties with high quality, — noted Nikolai Sherstnev.
During the regional meeting, participants of the VI All-Belarusian People's Assembly discussed the draft main directions of the country's socio-economic development for the five-year period, taking into account the regional context, as well as the interim results of the work of dialogue platforms in the Vitebsk region, and the most relevant proposals received during the work of public reception offices. Based on the results, a resolution of the regional meeting was adopted, which reflected the most important aspects of the live dialogue that took place.
