Commodity structure of exports and imports of Belarus, % (in actual prices). Foreign trade of the Republic of Belarus
Belarus has carried out limited structural reforms since 1995, when President Lukashenko took the country down the path of "market socialism." Under these policies, Lukashenko reimposed administrative controls on prices and exchange rates and expanded the state's rights to intervene in the management of private enterprises. Since 2005, the government has renationalized many private companies. In addition, the companies were subject to pressure from the government and local authorities authorities, including changes to regulations, numerous strict checks, retroactive application of new regulatory documents and laws, arrests of opposition businessmen and company owners.
The country has long had state control over economic transactions and the entry of companies into the market, both local and foreign. Government statistics show GDP growth was above 10% in 2008, even despite tight economic regulation, high inflation and unemployment. However, the global economic crisis caused a sharp slowdown in GDP growth to 0.2% in 2009. The sharply fallen demand for Belarusian exports has hit industrial enterprises hard. To compensate for the negative balance of payments, the government of the republic turned to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) with a request for a loan. In accordance with the terms of the IMF, in 2009 Belarus depreciated the ruble by more than 40% and slightly changed tax policy and the principles of monetary policy.
On January 1, 2010, Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus began unification into the Customs Union on the basis of common trade documents and customs code. At the end of January 2010, Russia and Belarus renegotiated the 2007 oil supply agreement. The new conditions caused an increase in prices for petroleum products in the country and increased the current account deficit of Belarus.
In December 2010, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement to form a Single Economic Space, and Russia abolished duties on oil supplied to Belarus.
History of the economy of Belarus
From 1957 to 1962, the volume of military production in the Belarusian SSR increased 12 times. The average grain yield in Belarus in 1960 was 8.7 centners per hectare.
The leading industries of the Byelorussian SSR were mechanical engineering and metalworking, light industry and food processing. In 1986, there were 913 state farms and 1,675 collective farms in Belarus. Agricultural land amounted to 9.5 million hectares. The main mode of transport was railway. In 1986, the operational length of railways was 5.54 thousand km, roads - 44.4 thousand km.
In Belarus, after gaining independence, there was no large-scale privatization of large industrial enterprises. When they were corporatized, the shares mainly remained in the ownership of the state. State enterprises continue to play a dominant role - they account for at least 75% of GDP. The largest - production associations Belneftekhim (combines the Mozyr and Novopolotsk refineries, Belaruskali, Grodno Azot, providing up to half of Belarus' export earnings), Belenergo, Beltransgaz. Structure industrial production was largely preserved.
Due to the large share of Belarusian exports in Belarus’ GDP, one of the main factors in the growth of the country’s economy is the increase in exports. The significant economic growth of the republic in 2004-2006 was due to the supply of energy resources to the country from Russia at domestic prices of the Russian Federation and their resale at world prices, special relations with Russia and the global market situation.
After the cancellation of the previous procedure for the sale of oil and gas from Russia and the increase in prices for them, benefits were canceled in Belarus for the majority of previously preferential categories (disabled people, pensioners, victims of Chernobyl) of the population, with the exception of participants in the Great Patriotic War. Patriotic War and those called up for military service.
After a decrease in world oil prices by 1.5 times, the government of Belarus refused to reduce fuel prices in Belarus. The subsequent (January 2, 2009) one-time devaluation of the Belarusian ruble exchange rate against the US dollar by 20% (while maintaining the previous prices for petroleum products in Belarusian rubles) slightly reduced prices for petroleum products within Belarus (in dollar terms).
By 2005, a five-year Socio-Economic Development Program for 2006-2010 was developed. In accordance with it, GDP in 2006-2010 was planned at 146-155% of the previous five-year period (growth was planned at 8-9% per year). The draft program included an increase in industrial production volumes over 5 years by 43-51% (7.5-8.6% per year). Real cash income of the population should have increased by 46-56% (8.3-9.3% per year), real wage- by 52-58% (8.7-9.6% per year).
There is a point of view that social and economic stability in the country in the 2000s was ensured by access to the Russian market and obtaining energy resources at prices below world prices. At the beginning of March 2010, according to the statement of the ex-chairman of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus Stanislav Bogdankevich, the Belarusian economy is a raw material economy: based on petroleum products, re-export of crude oil and export of potassium salts.
On March 18, 2010, World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia Philippe Le Houéroux said that in the last 10 years there has been remarkable progress in the development of the Belarusian economy, in particular, economic growth was closer to Chinese than to European, but has declined very significantly poverty level. He noted that over the past 15 years, World Bank projects in Belarus have worked very well, and this “ good sign high level development government controlled" Also, the vice-president of the World Bank was “very positively impressed” by the policy of the Belarusian authorities to increase energy efficiency.
However, in 2011, a financial crisis broke out in the country, as a result of which the Belarusian ruble depreciated by more than half in relation to other world currencies. The standard of living of the population fell sharply. As a result of the devaluation on May 23-24, 2011, wages in dollar terms fell from $500 to $312 by May 2011 and to $218 by September.
On April 11, 2011, Alexander Lukashenko signed the Program for the Social and Economic Development of the Republic of Belarus for 2011-2015. Main macroeconomic points of the program:
- increase in GDP by 62-68% over five years;
- growth in industrial production and products Agriculture about one and a half times;
- increase in production of services by 1.8-1.9 times;
- growth of investments in fixed capital by 1.9-1.97 times;
- eliminating the trade deficit by 2014 and achieving a positive balance of trade in goods and services in 2015.
It is assumed that the points of the program “will bring the quality of life of the population closer to the European level and will ensure an increase in real disposable income of the population by 1.7-1.76 times over five years.”
Economic policy of Belarus
According to Doctor of Economic Sciences Vladislav Inozemtsev, the peculiarity of the Belarusian economy lies in the attempt to combine elements of the planned system with the market mechanism, an attempt to preserve the industrial base based on state property with the suppression of private initiative and state intervention in economic activity. The result is low efficiency. The Belarusian economy relies on the processing and re-export of Russian raw materials, and the legitimacy of the regime is ensured by the model of the welfare state.
The structure of the Belarusian economy has long been dominated by the industrial sector, on which the state has relied on to achieve the established rates of economic growth. This has led to a low share of private enterprises in the formation of GDP - about 30% versus 60-80% in neighboring countries. In October 2011, Minister of Economy Nikolai Snopkov admitted the fallacy of such a policy and promised that in the future there would be a reorientation towards the private sector as a generally recognized basis for stable economic development.
Privatization policy comes down to one-time sales of state property (targeted, selective privatization). On May 12, 2010, at a press conference in Minsk, the director of the state property fund State Committee on the property of Belarus Natalya Zhernosek reported that Belarus is working on the creation of a privatization agency. By July 1, 2010, the final version of the bill “On objects owned by the state” should be adopted. According to the Chairman of the State Property Committee Georgy Kuznetsov, privatization through the sale of shares in preferential terms will be cancelled.
In 2011, money began to flow into the country under a three-billion loan, the condition of which was to carry out privatization in the amount of $7.5 billion over three years. It was announced that shares of a number of enterprises were being put up for sale. Among them are Beltransgaz, MTS JLLC, Grodno Azot, Mozyr Oil Refinery, Novopolotsk Oil Refinery, Minsk Automobile Plant, Integral, BelAZ, Belaruskali (announced estimate - $30 billion), Barkhim, Baranovichi plant reinforced concrete structures, Brest Electromechanical Plant, Belsantekhmontazh-2, Stroytrest No. 8, JSC Avtomagistral, JSC Belgazstroy, JSC Medplast, JSC Confa.
On June 1, 2009, it began to operate in the republic State standard STB ISO 9001-2009 “Quality management systems. Requirements" (adopted in connection with the establishment International organization on ISO standardization new version international standard ISO 9001:2008).
Macroeconomic indicators of Belarus
At the end of 2012, Belarus' GDP reached Br527.4 trillion, which is 1.5% more than the 2011 level. This was reported by the National Statistical Committee of Belarus. Industrial production over the year increased by 5.7% to Br621.9 trillion. The share of innovative products in the total volume shipped was 17.9%, with an annual forecast of 13.5-14.5%. Investments in fixed capital in 2012 amounted to Br151.9 trillion, or 86.2% of the previous year. Gross product per capita (at purchasing power parity) in 2012 was $15,600.
In Belarus, consumer prices for goods and services in December 2012 increased by 1.4% compared to November 2012, and by 21.8% compared to December 2011, reports the National Statistics Committee. Food products prices rose by 1.8% in December 2012, and by 25.1% over the year. Prices for non-food products increased by 0.1% in December 2012, and by 10.3% over the year. Prices and tariffs for paid services in December 2012 compared to November 2012 increased by 2.6%, compared to December 2011 - by 36.1%.
From 2000 to 2006, the rate of inflation in Belarus decreased. In 2007-2008 there was an increase, in 2009 there was a decrease again, and in 2011 there was a sharp increase. Inflation in Belarus by year since 2000: 2000 - 107.5%, 2001 - 46.1%, 2002 - 34.8%, 2003 - 25.4%, 2004 - 14.4%, 2005 - 8.0 %, 2006 - 6.6%, 2007 - 12.1%, 2008 - 13.3%, 2009 - 10.1%, 2010 - 9.9%, 2011 - 53.3% per year.
Industry of Belarus
A wide range of products is produced in Belarus engineering products. These are trucks (MAZ, BelAZ), buses, trolleybuses, tractors, televisions, refrigerators, metal cutting machines and much more. The Belarusian Automobile Plant is located in Belarus - the only one in the CIS countries and one of the world's largest manufacturers of quarry equipment. The first ones went on sale in April 2011 Cell phones Belarusian production.
The metallurgical industry of Belarus includes four plants: Republican Unitary Enterprise "Belarusian Metallurgical Plant", Republican Unitary Enterprise "Rechitsa Metallurgical Plant", OJSC "Mogilev Metallurgical Plant" and Republican Unitary Enterprise "Gomel" foundry"Centrolit". In addition, the largest factories have more than one hundred foundries and sites. More than 40 thousand workers are employed in the country's metallurgical and foundry production, of which about 3 thousand are engineers.
Scientific support and training is carried out at six departments of universities, the Institute of Metal Technology of the National Academy of Sciences, and the BelNIILit Institute. Since 1972, the Institute of Powder Metallurgy has been operating, now part of the Belarusian State Research and Production Concern of Powder Metallurgy.
The industry program for the modernization of foundry production at the base enterprises of the Ministry of Industry of Belarus until 2010 includes more than 50 projects; large-scale reconstruction of the foundries of RUE Minsk Tractor Plant, RUE Minsk Automobile Plant, and OJSC Minsk Heating Equipment Plant has already begun. According to the results of the first half of 2006, Belarus took fourth place among the CIS countries in terms of production of metallurgical products.
Alcohol products. January-March 2011 - the sales figure for vodka (compared to the same period in 2010) increased by 1.9%: 2 million 511.4 thousand dal of vodka were sold, its share in the total volume of alcohol consumption was 43.5%.
Agriculture of Belarus
In 2005-2009, more than 21 trillion Belarusian rubles were allocated to support the agro-industrial complex (as part of the implementation of the rural revival and development program). rubles
Belarusian experts consider the expansion of the network of large regional agro-industrial holdings, gradually developing into national vertically integrated associations, as one of the most important areas for the development of the domestic agro-industrial complex and processing industry. By the fall of 2010, Belarus took second place in the world in terms of triticale area.
Transport of Belarus
The length of the railways is 5512 km, including 1640 km double-track, 897 km electrified. The main operator of rail transportation in Belarus is the Belarusian Railway, which accounts for 3/4 of freight traffic and more than half of passenger traffic.
Length highways common use- 83 thousand kilometers. Number of runways - 67, including 36 hard surface. The main air carrier is the state company Belavia.
Foreign trade of Belarus
The economy of Belarus has high degree openness - the share of exports of goods and services in GDP exceeds 60%. Most of Belarus' trade turnover falls on the CIS countries. Belarus has largely retained economic ties with Russian enterprises and significant industrial exports to Russia. Russia, in particular, receives 60-70% of all exports of vehicles, machinery and equipment from Belarus.
Belarus exports mineral fuel, oil and oil products, ferrous metals, trucks (MAZ, BelAZ), tractors (Belarus), road construction and municipal equipment (Amkodor), televisions (Horizon, Vityaz), refrigerators (Atlant), chemical fibers and threads (Polimir), potash fertilizers (Belaruskali), textile and light industry products. The basis of Belarusian exports to the EU countries are energy products such as oil, petroleum products, liquefied gas. Fertilizers, ferrous metals and timber are also exported to the EU.
Belarus imports mineral fuel, chemical industry products, ferrous metals, plastics and products made from them, vehicles, machinery and equipment. Belarus purchases most of its oil, natural gas and petroleum products from Russia.
In 2004, the largest trading partners of Belarus were Russia and the EU countries. Thus, in terms of exports, trade turnover was with: Russia - 47%, Great Britain - 8.3%, Holland - 6.7%, Poland - 5.3%; by import: Russia - 68.2%, Germany - 6.6%, Ukraine - 3.3%.
In 2005, trade turnover increased by 8%, including exports by 16% and imports by 1.3%. According to customs authorities Belarus, having imported 19.3 million tons of oil from Russia for $4.2 billion in 2005, Belarus exported 13.5 million tons of petroleum products for $4.9 billion.
In 2006, trade turnover increased by 28.7% compared to 2005 and amounted to $42 billion. Including exports increased by 23.5% to $19.7 billion, imports increased by 33.6% to $22.3 billion Foreign trade balance turned out to be negative in the amount of $2.5 billion. Among external trading partners, trade turnover with the CIS countries amounted to $23.1 billion (+27%). Exports - $8.6 billion (+22%), imports - $14.4 billion (+30.1%). The balance was negative in the amount of $5.8 billion. Including trade turnover with Russia amounted to $19.9 billion (+25.9%). Exports - $6.8 billion (+19.8%), imports - $13 billion (+29.3%). The balance was negative in the amount of $6.2 billion.
Trade turnover with countries outside the CIS amounted to $18.9 billion (+30.8%). Exports - $11.1 billion (+24.7%), imports - $7.8 billion (+40.6%). The balance was positive in the amount of $3.2 billion.
Including trade turnover with EU countries amounted to $13.9 billion (+31.5%). Exports - $8.9 billion (+27.5%), imports - $4.9 billion (+39.5%). The balance was positive in the amount of $3.9 billion.
The export of petroleum products produced from Russian oil at Belarusian oil refineries is an important component of the country's economy, accounting for 16.4% of GDP. In January - May 2006, the value of exports of petroleum products increased by 58.2% compared to the same period in 2005 and reached $3.2 billion (7.4 million tons).
In 2008, exports from Belarus amounted to $33 billion. The main buyers are Russia 32.2%, the Netherlands 16.9%, Ukraine 8.5%. Imports to Belarus amounted to $39.2 billion in 2008. The main suppliers are Russia 59.8%, Germany 7.1%, Ukraine 5.4%. Exports increased by 35.5% compared to 2007 and amounted to 32 billion 902.1 million dollars, imports increased by 37.6% (39 billion 482.9 million). The volume of foreign trade amounted to 72 billion 385 million dollars (36.7% more).
The trade balance with the CIS countries was negative in the amount of 11 billion 647.4 million dollars (in 2007 - minus 7 billion 794.3 million). Exports increased by 28.4% and reached 14 billion 406.3 million dollars, imports - by 37% (26 billion 53.7 million). The volume of foreign trade over the past year amounted to 40 billion 460 million dollars (33.8% more), including foreign trade turnover with Russia increased by 31.1% to 34 billion 188.9 million dollars. Exports increased by 19.2% (10 billion 585.1 million), imports - by 37.2% (23 billion 603.8 million). The trade balance with the Russian Federation was negative in the amount of 13 billion 18.7 million dollars (for 2007 - minus 8 billion 326.3 million dollars).
Foreign trade turnover with Ukraine increased by 63.3% and reached 4 billion 904.8 million dollars. Exports increased by 89.8% (up to 2 billion 789.7 million), imports - by 37.9% (up to 2 billion 115.1 million). The trade balance with this country was positive at $674.6 million (in 2007 - minus $64.5 million).
Foreign trade turnover with non-CIS countries increased by 40.4% and amounted to 31 billion 925 million dollars. Exports increased by 41.7% to 18 billion 495.8 million, imports - by 38.8% (13 billion 429.2 million). The balance was positive in the amount of 5 billion 66.6 million dollars, including the balance with Germany - negative in the amount of 1 billion 979.9 million dollars. Exports increased by 11.1% to $812.4 million, imports by 28.6% (2 billion 792.3 million). Foreign trade turnover increased by 24.2% to $3 billion 604.7 million.
Foreign trade turnover of goods in Belarus in 2010 reached 60.094 billion dollars and increased by 20.5% compared to 2009. This was reported by the National Statistics Committee. Exports amounted to 25.226 billion dollars (118.4%), imports - 34.868 billion dollars (122%). The balance of foreign trade in goods is negative and amounts to $9.642 billion.
Trade turnover between Belarus and the countries of the Customs Union increased by 20.6% in 2010 and reached $28.742 billion. The volume of exports of goods from Belarus to the countries of the Customs Union - Russia and Kazakhstan - increased by 46.2% and amounted to $10.280 billion. Imports from these countries reached $18.462 billion, which was 109.9% compared to the previous year.
Trade turnover between Belarus and Russia amounted to 27.874 billion dollars (118.9%). At the same time, exports of Belarusian goods to Russia increased by 46.1% to more than $9.816 billion, imports by 8% to more than $18 billion. In 2010, trade turnover with Kazakhstan reached $867.2 million, more than doubling compared to 2009 (223.4%). Including exports to Kazakhstan increased by 47.9% to $463.5 million, imports - by 5.4 times to $403.7 million.
Trade turnover between Belarus and the CIS countries in 2010 increased by 23.5% to $34 billion. At the same time, exports amounted to 13.499 billion dollars (an increase of 44.9%), imports - more than 20.5 billion dollars (an increase of 12.5%). Belarus' trade turnover with countries outside the CIS in 2010 reached more than $26 billion (116.8%). At the same time, exports amounted to 11.727 billion dollars (97.8%), imports - 14.358 billion dollars (138.8%).
In July 2010, the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia began to operate. According to some estimates, the creation of the Customs Union will stimulate economic development and could provide an additional 15% to the GDP of the participating countries by 2015.
Joining the Customs Union and Russia's provision of 6.3 million tons of duty-free oil for domestic consumption should have led to a reduction in the cost of gasoline and diesel fuel by 30%. However domestic prices for gasoline and fuel increased, incomes of the population and enterprises in Lately frozen or even fell.
IN modern world the state of a state's foreign trade is an indicator of the level of development, an indicator of the country's recognition by the international community. A high share of foreign trade turnover in GDP means a high dependence of citizens' well-being on foreign trade. For Belarus, increasing export volumes has been and remains the most important priority of state policy, because the Republic of Belarus does not have sufficient quantity own natural resources and is dependent on the external market. The republic's industrial complex purchases raw materials abroad, after which it produces products and sells them. The well-being of the country and people depends entirely on efficient work export-oriented enterprises and competent foreign trade policy.
The Republic of Belarus maintains relations with more than 130 countries of the world. In the structure of foreign trade turnover, about 2/3 of the volume falls on the CIS countries, the share of Russia in which reaches almost 50%. Developed countries are in second place Western Europe. Next - European countries with economies in transition, developing countries in Asia, countries North America, South America, Africa, the Middle East, developed countries in Asia, the Caribbean, Australia and Oceania.
The commodity structure of Belarusian exports is dominated by machinery, equipment, vehicles, products chemical industry. The Republic of Belarus annually exports on average: tractors - 24 thousand units (97% of their production); trucks-11.3 thousand pieces (74% of their production); televisions - 408 thousand units (65% of their production); refrigerators, freezers - 655 thousand units (76% of their production); chemical fibers and threads - on average 148 thousand tons per year (70% of their production); potash fertilizers - over 3 million tons (83% of their production); nitrogen fertilizers - 353 thousand tons (58% of their production). The exports of the Republic of Belarus also include “mineral products”. These are mainly petroleum products. Their share in the group exceeds 80%. About 7.5 million tons of petroleum products are exported annually.
Next come: ferrous and non-ferrous metals and products made from them; food products and agricultural raw materials (except textiles); textiles and textile products; wood and pulp and paper products; leather raw materials and products made from it; other.
The commodity structure of Belarusian imports is dominated by mineral products, machinery, equipment and vehicles, chemical products, ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
Every year the Republic of Belarus imports on average about: 2 million tons of ferrous and non-ferrous metals; 12 million tons of crude oil; 0.7 million tons of petroleum products; 17.5 billion cubic meters meters of natural gas; 430 thousand tons of coal; 7.5 billion kWh of electricity; 104 thousand tons vegetable oil; 1300 thousand tons of grain crops.
One of the problems of the republic's economy is its high dependence on energy resources: oil, gas, coal, as well as rolled ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
Exports and imports of services make up a rather modest share of total trade turnover. Thus, the share of exports of services in total trade turnover fluctuates around 12%, and the share of their imports is about 7%. Among the export services, the main ones are: transport; construction; communication services; tourist; rent; financial. Among the imported services, tourism services stand out; transport; communication services; rent; construction; financial.
A negative indicator in the trade of the Republic of Belarus is the constant excess of imports over exports in recent years. Thus, the coefficient of coverage of imports by exports of the Republic of Belarus over the past 5 years amounted to 83%, which negatively affects its balance of payments.
The main directions of foreign trade of the Republic of Belarus for the coming years are determined by the “Social and Economic Development Program of the Republic of Belarus for 2011-2015”. In accordance with this program, the main direction foreign economic activity the future will include the implementation of an effective unified industrial, foreign trade and macroeconomic policy, ensuring the dynamic development of the country's foreign economic complex and protecting the interests of the national market from the adverse effects of global conditions and foreign competition. Priority directions should be: activation of state support for the modernization of export-oriented industries for the production of knowledge-intensive high-tech products; search alternative sources resources needed by the country; development of export infrastructure; expansion of the range and increase in exports of goods and services; rationalization of the import structure.
A qualitatively new level of economic functioning will make it possible to pursue a policy of foreign trade expansion through its selective application both to individual states and to groups of countries or unions.
An important factor in reducing the foreign trade deficit will be increasing the export of services as the least capital-intensive way to develop export potential. Based geographical location Belarus, expanding the volume of transport services will be the most realistic source of foreign exchange earnings.
The implementation of the set tasks will allow us to balance foreign trade turnover and achieve a positive balance of foreign trade.
The main sources of growth in Belarusian exports in 2017 were raw materials. Demand for them has increased, and prices have also risen.
A sharp increase
In 2016, against the backdrop of declining prices for the main raw materials of Belarusian exports, a multiple increase in supplies to African countries stood out. It was partly explained by the low base, when even a few hundred thousand dollars provided an increase of tens of times. In addition, the top 10 trading partners with the highest export growth rates reflected the efforts of domestic machine manufacturers to find new markets.
In 2017, only one area in which a record growth rate was recorded can be directly associated with mechanical engineering. Over the course of a year, exports to Zimbabwe increased by 86 times, to almost $19 million. The main driver was the supply of quarry equipment. According to Belstat, in African country 21 dump trucks were sent to work in off-road conditions worth $7.28 million, as well as four special vehicles worth a total of more than a million dollars. It looks like the pace of exports to Zimbabwe will be sustained in the coming years. Yesterday, the manager of the President's affairs for the supply of agricultural and forestry equipment for 58 million dollars, concluded during a visit to this country.
Supplies to Switzerland were also diversified. Exports to this country increased 4.4 times, to $29.9 million. One of largest articles steel supplies... cars. 75 cars worth $3.6 million were exported to Switzerland: 43 cars with gasoline and 32 with diesel engines. The export of various components for cars and trucks, and components for railway rolling stock was active. Exports of mushrooms and frozen fruits to Switzerland brought in another $1.5 million.
Domestic producers increased supplies of raw materials to other countries. “Kassa” in Serbia was made from petroleum products. Last year, 382 thousand tons of distillates worth $94.1 million were supplied to this country. Approximately a thousand tons of petroleum products worth $1 million ensured a fourfold increase in Belarusian exports to Tanzania.
Almost the entire volume of exports to Lebanon and Benin was made of fittings from the Belarusian Metallurgical Plant. Growth domestic supplies in Chile provided phthalic anhydride. Products worth 666.7 thousand dollars were exported there.
Deliveries of milk powder worth $1.4 million contributed to a noticeable increase in exports to Saudi Arabia.
China among the laggards
Great friendship with China has so far led to an increase in imports from this country, as well as an increase in the debt of enterprises under guarantees of the Belarusian government. At the end of 2017, China ceased to be among the top ten export destinations for Belarus. Supplies to this country have been declining for the second year in a row. In 2017, they decreased by 23.3%, to $362.6 million. The main reason is a decrease in the volume of exports of potash fertilizers. Last year they amounted to $246 million compared to $290.1 million in 2016. The increase in supplies of agricultural products could not compensate for the losses.
Due to a decrease in exports of potash and other fertilizers, supplies to Bangladesh, Zambia, Indonesia, Ecuador, Mali, and Argentina were reduced. Exports to Canada fell victim to anti-dumping duties imposed on domestic metal products. The decrease in supplies to Turkmenistan can be partly associated with the completion of the construction of the Garlyk mining and processing plant, which was commissioned at the end of the first quarter of 2017.
Top ten
Last year, the top 10 main trading partners of Belarus accounted for 83% of domestic exports. Compared to 2016, the share of the top ten remained the same. Its composition also remained almost unchanged: only Latvia replaced China.
Over the year, the share of the Russian Federation in the export structure decreased by 2 percentage points, to 44%. In second place is Ukraine (12%). The UK's share increased by 3 percentage points to 8%.
The increase in supplies to European countries is mainly due to increased prices for petroleum products. The main traders working with domestic petroleum products are located in the UK and the Netherlands. Therefore, formally, petroleum products are supplied to these states, although in fact, companies from other countries may be recipients of Belarusian gasoline, diesel fuel and other products.
A significant part of domestic petroleum products is exported through Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. Neighboring countries are also major buyers of Belarusian mineral fertilizers, and Lithuania, among other things, imports a lot of agricultural machinery, primarily tractors.
Our potash fertilizers are the main export goods for Brazil. According to Belstat, last year this country was the number one market for domestic potassium.
In the top 10, the most diversified is export to Ukraine. The share of mechanical engineering in it is quite large. So, last year, deliveries of Belarusian trucks to this country in kind doubled, to 1,136 vehicles, in value - one and a half times, to 64.64 million dollars. Exports of tractors in volume terms decreased by 28.5%, to 4,597 vehicles, and in value terms - by 21.1%, to $72.26 million. Petroleum products remain the main domestic product in Ukraine: they account for more than half of revenue, or $1.8 billion. Petroleum products complement fertilizers. Exports for this item exceeded $150 million.
Overall, domestic merchandise exports increased 24.1% last year to $29.2 million.
Big plans
At first glance, this year is off to a good start. According to Belstat, in January, supplies of goods abroad increased by 36.5%, to $2.49 billion. True, in the first month of 2017, Russia undersupplied oil to domestic refineries. Accordingly, the volumes of shipments of petroleum products abroad were less than usual. This year, factories are supplied in full, which partly ensures export growth. The price environment also favors him.
In subsequent months, due to the growth of the base for comparison, the pace will decrease. The new milk war will also have a negative impact on them. On February 26, Rosselkhoznadzor banned the supply of milk, cream and whey from our country, but after that it twice postponed the start of the countdown of temporary restrictions. Now they promise to deploy cars with raw dairy products at the border from March 15.
The items subject to sanctions brought our country about half a billion in export earnings last year. Even if the negotiations do not result in a complete ban being introduced, restrictions will remain on individual businesses. In addition, most likely, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Belarus will have to make concessions to Russia and reduce the supply of dry products, or at least try to do so.
Alexander Lukashenko set the government the task of increasing exports by 5.7% in 2018. This is the target forecast indicator. The so-called conservative forecast, which is used as a basis for budget development, is less optimistic. According to the medium-term financial program of the republican budget for 2018-2020, even a decrease in exports of 0.2% cannot be ruled out this year.
In February, the government approved performance indicators for the export of goods. In fact, they are a task for Belarusian diplomatic missions.
According to plans, the highest growth rates in goods exports are associated with Nigeria and South Africa. They should increase by 45%. By the way, in January - November last year, Belarusian exports to Nigeria increased 2.2 times, to $22 million, and to South Africa - 2.8 times, to $9.25 million.
The government is demanding a 44% increase in exports to China. Supplies to Argentina, Brazil, and Vietnam should increase by 30%. About 25% of the increase is expected to come from exports to Ukraine. In general, for the CIS countries the figure is at the level of 6-7%. The increase in exports to some EU countries should be from 6 to 10%.
International trade. The foreign trade opportunities of any state are influenced by a variety of factors. These include: the structure and level of economic development, geopolitical location, availability and diversity natural resources, transport infrastructure, etc. For Belarus in these respects highest value Currently and in the future, there are three factors: the country’s location at the crossroads of European communications routes, a developed transport network and highly qualified labor resources.
Belarusian enterprises produce many types of products for various purposes. But many types of products are in short supply, and others are not produced at all. For example, the country does not produce electric locomotives, airplanes and helicopters, many types of rolled ferrous and non-ferrous metals, does not grow cotton or sunflower oil, lacks energy resources, mining and chemical raw materials, etc. At the same time, Belarus produces products that are in demand There is less production in the country (heavy duty vehicles, petroleum products, wheeled tractors, televisions, microprocessors, refrigerators, fertilizers, chemical fibers, etc.). For these reasons, Belarus has a great need to expand trade with other countries.
Belorussian export consists of high-tech engineering products, Vehicle, chemical products, knitwear, footwear, food industry products. Unlike Russia, Ukraine and other CIS countries with a high share of extractive industries, Belarus exports mainly products from processing industries, which account for about half of exports. In the commodity structure of exports in 2010, mineral products (mainly oil and petroleum products) accounted for 28.2%, machinery and equipment - 19.0%, chemical industry products - 19.8%, food industry products - 12.9% .
Unlike export import Belarus has an energy resource nature. Largest specific gravity the structure of imports in 2010 included mineral products (35.4%), machinery and equipment (24.2%), chemical products (13.3%), food products and raw materials for their production (8.2%) , ferrous and non-ferrous metals and products made from them (11.2%). These groups of goods account for more than 90% of imports. Compared to 2000, Belarusian exports increased 3.5 times in 2010. The share of CIS countries in the total trade turnover for Belarus was 63%, and for other countries - 37%.
The excess of imports over exports leads to a shortage of foreign exchange resources in the country, which does not contribute to the modernization of its economy. In 2010, there was a negative balance in foreign trade only with the countries of the European Union.
Belarus maintains trade and economic relations with more than 140 countries of the world. Traditional trade partners are Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Great Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. In Africa, Egypt is the main trading partner; significant supplies of Belarusian products are carried out to the Republic of South Africa. In the Western Hemisphere, the largest trade ties are with the USA, Venezuela, Peru and Cuba. Trade with Asian countries is characterized by small volumes and dispersion across many countries. The main ties are established with China, India and Vietnam. Exports of goods and services from Belarus to the markets of Australia and Oceania are insignificant. For 2008-2010 Belarusian producers entered 34 new markets. A commodity distribution network with the participation of Belarusian capital has been created in many countries, and the number of assembly plants has increased significantly.
Investments . An important source of economic growth and development of the country is investments. They are internal and external. Cooperation between Belarus has made it possible to finance a number of projects in recent years, for example, the development of forestry, the reconstruction of the Brest-eastern border of Belarus highway, the production of buses, the development of a telecommunications and telecommunications network, and the introduction of energy and resource-saving technologies.
At the moment, Belarus continues to search for new forms of foreign economic relations, ways to attract investment in order to accelerate economic development. But so far, in comparison with neighboring countries, the volume of investment in the Belarusian economy per capita is small.
Joint ventures. They have a small authorized capital, a desire for quick payback, high profitability and non-capital intensity. The first joint venture in Belarus was Belvest in Vitebsk, a Belarusian-German shoe manufacturing enterprise.
Capital is being invested especially quickly from Russia. On the territory of Belarus, with the participation of Russian companies, there are a number of financial and industrial groups: “Slavneft”, “Lukoil”, “Russian Coal”, “Nizhny Novgorod Automobiles”, “Accuracy”, etc.
In industries material production Most joint ventures are engaged in woodworking, mechanical engineering, furniture production, textiles, food products and drinks. In the non-material sphere, the main attention is paid to trade and intermediary activities, transport services, construction, household and social services. The bulk of the joint ventures are located in Minsk and the Minsk region, a little less in the Brest and Grodno regions, many of them were created in free economic zones. Belarus, in turn, creates joint ventures in other countries (Russia, Ukraine, China, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Vietnam, etc.).
Available economic zones(SEZ). They were created recently in Belarus. They involve 318 enterprises employing 58 thousand people. SEZs produce and export mainly furniture, packaging materials, aluminum products, timber and wood building materials, and non-ferrous metal scrap. The main consumers of the products of FEZ enterprises are Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Germany, Poland and Italy. (What are the advantages of SEZs over other forms of international economic cooperation?) In the modern period, there are FEZ “Minsk”, “Brest”, “Grodnoinvest”, “Gomel-Raton”, “Vitebsk” and “Mogilev”. In the future, it is planned to create new SEZs in Belarus.
Bibliography
1. Geography 10th grade/ Tutorial for 10th grade institutions of general secondary education with Russian as the language of instruction/Authors: M. N. Brilevsky- “From the authors”, “Introduction”, § 1-32; G. S. Smolyakov- § 33-63 / Minsk "People's Asveta" 2012
Foreign trade in goods.
The economy of the Republic of Belarus is quite open and focused on foreign markets. It should be mentioned that more than 50% of goods are produced for export, but imports also take up quite a lot important place, it should be mentioned that in January-July 2013, imports of passenger cars increased by approximately 33% to $540 million.
Belarus import and export of goods
The basis of imports is energy resources (mineral fuel, natural gas and oil), technological resources, ferrous metals, raw materials, materials and components (products and metals made from them, raw materials for the chemical production of machine parts). Most of these energy resources are purchased from Russia.
More than 180 countries have market relations with the republic. The main partner is Russian Federation, more than 40% - this is its share in exports and more than half of Belarus’ imports. And among the CIS countries, after Russia, Ukraine is in second place, and Kazakhstan is in third place.
In 2010, the country joined the Customs Union and Russia provides the Republic of Belarus with 6.3 million tons of duty-free oil.
The most interesting thing is that President A. Lukashenko banned the import of malting barley, citing the fact that the republic itself will provide its market with this product.
Leader in such indicator as import Belarus, this is poultry and bacon. According to 2012 data, the volume of imports of these products increased by 69% and 45%. In general, imports of meat products and meat increased by 23% compared to the previous year. If we take pork, then it was brought in by 15% more, and if we take beef, then there is a drop: the import is 1.2 thousand tons less.
Meat is brought to the republic from 20 countries, and pork from 12. The main suppliers of pork are: Germany - 40%, Poland - 39%, Holland - 8%, and the remaining 9 countries accounted for only 13%.
Dairy products are traditionally supplied to the republic in small quantities. And in 2012, their import amounted to only 374 tons, which is 14% less than in the previous year. The main import product is cheeses from Germany - 145 tons, Poland - 79 tons and Lithuania - 71 tons.
Belarus' imports of fodder and feed also increased by 26%. 84% of this data is meal, a total of 705.2 thousand tons were imported, Ukraine - 65%, Argentina - 26%, Russia - 0.7%.
According to data for 2012, imports of all goods and services amounted to $49 billion, which is 2.5% more than in 2011. And the growth rate of imports seriously lagged behind the export of goods (11.4%) and this made it possible to reach a positive balance in volume of $2.92 billion.