In each district of the Vitebsk region, 3-4 large-scale projects must be implemented within the five-year period
In 2022, the implementation of the new investment cycle of the five-year plan will continue. In the Vitebsk region, about Br3.4 billion will be directed towards development, ensuring a growth rate of investment in fixed assets at the level of 103.3%. To this end, the implementation of over 170 investment projects in the real sector of the economy with a financing volume of over Br960 million will continue, as well as almost 200 projects for infrastructure development worth more than Br660 million.
The main growth points for investment activity should be the modernization of the real sector of the economy, import substitution projects, and the development of engineering and transport infrastructure in the FEZ "Vitebsk".
"One of the strategic tasks is the implementation by the end of the five-year period of an investment project significant for the region's economy and, at least, 3-4 projects for the production of high value-added products using local raw materials in each district. There are already developments in woodworking, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and machine building," noted Alexander Subbotin.
In addition, among the reserve areas for attracting investment, the head of the region named the further development of pharmaceutical, petrochemical, and composite clusters through the creation of cooperation chains and the involvement of small and medium-sized businesses in the further processing of the products obtained. Cluster development will be facilitated by the creation of specialized industry laboratories and technology transfer centers with the involvement of universities and secondary vocational institutions.
Among the priority tasks for the development of the industrial complex, Alexander Subbotin named the minimization of dependence on the petrochemical and energy sectors by increasing production in other industries, especially those that use local natural raw materials and do not depend on external supplies. In the food industry, it is necessary to ensure an increase in production output through the development of raw material zones, further modernization of production facilities, increased utilization of production capacities, and the development of new product types.
Alexander Subbotin separately focused on the need to develop dolomite mining and the production of products from it. "Vitebsk hosts the only enterprise in Belarus and the largest in Europe, 'Dolomit'. The need for its technical re-equipment has become urgent, as the equipment wear there exceeds 70%," said the head of the region. Another reserve for the development of industrial production, especially in rural regions, is the extraction and processing of peat and sapropel. For the current five-year period, 5 projects for peat processing and only one for sapropel (in the Shumilinsky district) are planned for implementation, while the Vitebsk region concentrates 80% of the republic's sapropel reserves, noted Alexander Subbotin.
In the light industry, modernized footwear enterprises and the fur combine should become growth points, as well as the continuation of robotization of production processes at SOOO "Belvest". To stabilize the situation with raw material supply for the Orsha Flax Combine, it is necessary to intensify efforts to form an integrated structure based on the flax combine and carry out further modernization of flax processing plants. There are agreements on support from republican management bodies to ensure more attractive conditions for flax cultivation, reported Alexander Subbotin.
The implementation of measures to develop the industrial complex will ensure an increase in manufacturing output by at least 5% in 2022, an increase in wages across industry as a whole by 10%, and an increase in sales profitability to 7% (excluding Naftan and Vitebskenergo).
Among the priority tasks for agriculture, the head of the region named increasing the production efficiency of enterprises, including those that are part of agro-industrial associations. Work on reforming unpromising agricultural organizations (their preliminary list has already been determined) is to be completed, as well as ensuring the timely repayment of restructured debts in accordance with Decree No. 70. In crop production, it is necessary to achieve an increase in output by increasing the productivity of agricultural land, strict adherence to technological regulations for crop cultivation, strengthening land use discipline, and using promising varieties and hybrids. "There should be no reduction in sown areas, and the optimization of their structure should be aimed at providing livestock with grain feed, forage, and vegetable protein, and processing enterprises with the necessary raw materials," emphasized Alexander Subbotin. The solution of these and a number of other tasks will allow in 2022 to reach a gross agricultural output growth rate of at least 104%, and increase sales profitability to 5.7%.