The trade between Minsk Oblast and Tajikistan expanded by almost 58% in 2019, BelTA learned from Head of the International Relations Department of the Economy Committee of the Minsk Oblast Executive Committee Anna Dashkova.
“In 2019 the trade between Minsk Oblast and Tajikistan reached $1.2 million, up 57.7%. The export exceeded $1.1 million, up 63.7%, while import made up $50,000 (or 85.1% as against the previous year),” said Anna Dashkova.
Such an export growth was achieved due to the supply of new commodity items. For example, in 2019 Tajikistan started importing Belarusian jams, marmalades, air conditioners, paper, gardening equipment and fridges. Belarus expanded the export of traditional commodity items, such as steelwork, to Tajikistan.
The targets for 2020 include the increase in the export of meat, milk and potatoes. “Minsk Oblast maintains close ties with Sughd Province. The governor of this province visited our region in December. For this reason we are planning a return visit and our participation in various events in Tajikistan. We would like to explore the possibility to boost the export of dairy products, meat, agricultural machinery, crop products like seed potatoes and fruit,” the representative of the committee said.
Belarus and Tajikistan are set to open a joint venture Vatan Dairy Company in cooperation with Minsk Dairy Plant No. 1 in Dushanbe in summer 2020.