Industry, innovative products: in which areas did the Vitebsk region achieve growth in 2023
Despite the difficulties
The Chairman of the regional executive committee, Alexander Subbotin, called 2023 a difficult year for the Vitebsk region: sanctions pressure, plus drought challenges that have not been seen for several decades. At the same time, the region's economic complex coped with the difficulties, and ways to overcome them in challenging conditions were found. The region's economy has shown positive dynamics since April. All sectors have ensured recovery growth. For 11 months, gross product increased by 2.4% compared to last year.
It is necessary to work more intensively and qualitatively next year, emphasized the head of the region, referring to the figures. The region's enterprises generated 30 billion rubles in revenue this year. Budget revenues increased by 400 million rubles compared to 2022. Compared to January, 42 enterprises became profitable, and chronically lagging ones decreased by 20%.
The head of the region drew attention to the positive aspects and set a task: to maintain the dynamics next year, and the focus should be on working with personnel.
Vitebsk region has ensured growth rates of gross regional product, industrial production, retail, wholesale and public catering turnover, construction and installation work, passenger and freight turnover, and investment in fixed assets higher than in the corresponding period of last year. The performance indicators for total consolidated budget revenues (122%), where all regions contributed, and average wages – 117.3% have been met. For this indicator, 16 districts coped with the tasks, while Gluboksky, Dokshitsky, Lioznensky, Polotsky, Rossonsky, Ushachsky, and Chashniksky districts fell short. Positive dynamics compared to last year's level have been ensured for gross regional product and investment in fixed assets.
As for industry, it generates over 66% of the region's revenue. The volume of industrial production amounted to 18929.8 million rubles, and the industrial production index was 103.2% compared to the same period. In physical terms, the output of televisions, special-purpose vehicles, metal-cutting machine tools, prefabricated metal structures, concrete, footwear, fabrics, knitwear, whole milk products, and fruit and vegetable and fish preserves, among others, increased. The growth in industrial production volumes was ensured by 13 regions, including Vitebsky, Gluboksky, Gorodoksky, Dokshitsky, Lepelsky, Vitebsk, Novopolotsk, and others.
The industrial complex ensured profitable operation, with net profit amounting to 256 million rubles and sales profitability at 6.6%. Organizations in the region shipped innovative products worth almost 6 billion rubles, or 36.4% of the volume of shipped products in the previous year.
Orshaagroprommash OJSC has mastered the production of cutting bars, gear shafts, and gearboxes of five brands. Manuli Hydraulics Manufacturing Bel LLC has mastered 16 new high-pressure hoses, Orsha Meat Processing Plant – 9 new types of products (canned meat and boiled sausages for children's nutrition, lard products, etc.), and Gluboksky Meat Processing Plant – 38 new types of products.
Industrial organizations of Vitebsk region invested 730 million rubles in fixed assets, or about 30% of the total investment in the region's economy, of which more than half was spent on the purchase of machinery and equipment.
Sales Market Geography is Expanding
This year, industrial organizations are implementing about 200 projects and measures for technical re-equipment and modernization, and the creation of new production facilities. Active work is underway to develop new types of import-substituting products for both the domestic market and for cooperation with Russian companies. 76 enterprises of Vitebsk region are involved in this process, producing over 170 types of such products.
Enterprises of the Dvina region supply products to 71 countries and 77 regions of the Russian Federation. They export over 1.5 thousand types of products, almost a third of which are innovative.
In 2024, the region plans to increase goods exports by 6-7% and supply goods, works, and services worth up to 6 billion dollars to the foreign market.
For 2024, the task is set to increase import-substituting products by 5.6% compared to the current year. In 2023 alone, 43 new industrial enterprises and production facilities were created. In Miory district, for clothing manufacturing; in Gorodok district, for wooden packaging production; in Senno district, for milk processing and cheese production; in Chashniki district, for metal product processing, etc.
In the food industry, the main determining factor for development will be the increase in production capacity utilization through the development of raw material zones and increased raw material supplies for industrial processing, as well as the saturation of the consumer market with dairy products and other food items.
Investment Program
The implementation of measures for the technical re-equipment and modernization of production by organizations of the Vitebsk concern "Meat and Dairy Products" will continue. In the forecast year, technical modernization of the cannery, reconstruction of production wastewater treatment facilities at OJSC "Gluboksky MCC", repurposing of the technical semi-finished products workshop into a meat canning workshop at the Gluboksky Meat Processing Plant, and creation of a new production facility (sour cream) at the Verkhnedvinsk Butter and Cheese Factory are planned.
In the light industry, Orsha Linen Mill will continue to work on the local modernization of production sections, and "Vitebsk Carpets" will implement an investment project to organize the production of ground fabric.
Footwear enterprises of the holding company of the Belarusian Leather and Footwear Company "Marko", OJSC "Krasny Oktyabr", and SOOO "Belvest" will continue to automate the production process, replacing outdated equipment with new and high-tech ones.
The industrial production index for the light industry is projected to be at least 105% by 2023.
In 2024, the implementation of an investment project for the construction of a fish processing enterprise in the FEZ "Vitebsk" will begin, where more than 300 people will be employed. It is planned to attract 80 million rubles of investment into the economy of the regional center.
Social Guidelines
Great attention will be paid to the construction of social facilities, for which more than 460 million rubles will be allocated.
The construction of a new polyclinic in the "Aeroport" microdistrict in Polotsk will begin, and the reconstruction of the regional clinical hospital and the second building of the regional infectious diseases hospital will continue. The construction of family-type children's homes in Vitebsk and Postavy is planned, and the construction of preschool educational institutions in Lepel, Novopolotsk, Vitebsk, and Orsha will continue. The renewal of the ambulance and medical transport fleet, the purchase of medical equipment, and the installation and commissioning of angiographic complexes, magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners are planned. The growth of extra-budgetary revenues of state healthcare organizations is planned to be no less than 103% compared to 2023, paid medical services – 105%, export of medical services – 105%.
In the field of education, the target indicators of the State Program "Education and Youth Policy" for 2021-2025 and the standards of state social standards are being met. 947.9 million rubles have been allocated for the implementation of the program measures this year alone.
As for the political aspect, life will be eventful here too, emphasized Alexander Subbotin. A unified voting day will be held for the first time. The electoral campaign and the elections of the All-Belarusian People's Congress are allocated very tight deadlines. The head of the region believes that it is necessary to intensify explanatory work among citizens, to show that we are on the right track, and that literally each of us takes part in the fate of the country.
In numbers and facts
- Ensure a gross regional product growth rate of 103.8% compared to the 2023 level.
- Invest 3.7 billion rubles in the regional economy (104.4% compared to 2023).
- The volume of revenues is determined at 4.5 billion rubles. Own revenues are projected at 2.7 billion rubles, an increase of 10.2% compared to the current year.
- It is planned to build 309 thousand square meters of housing in the region. The growth rate of construction and installation works will remain at 107.1%.
- Maintain the unemployment rate within 4%.