Belarus-Turkmenistan trade expected at $400m by year end
2012-09-07 09:49:13
By the end of the year Belarus-Turkmenistan trade should be close to $400 million, nearly 70% up from 2011, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to Belarus Murad Yazberdiyev told media on 6 September.
The Ambassador said that this year Belarus-Turkmenistan trade should be at least as good as last year ($238.1 million). Taking into account changes in the bilateral trade, the figure should be close to $400 million. “Certainly, it is not the level that should be with the relations that exist between Belarus and Turkmenistan today. It should be much higher,” said Murad Yazberdiyev. The Ambassador added that in order to increase the trade turnover, the sides are putting efforts into trading houses.
Belarus’ major exports to Turkmenistan are tractors, road and construction machines, soil cultivators, trucks, lift trucks, tires, woodworking industry products, medications, food (sugar, milk powder, alcohol, malt, and confectionery). Belarus’ major imports from Turkmenistan are cotton yarn, fiber, fabric, jersey fabric, fleece, bed and table clothing, propylene polymers, and carbon.
The Ambassador said that trade in these commodities will be increased in the future. “A draft agreement on starting exchange trade is under consideration. Undoubtedly, it will increase capabilities of the sides. If exchange trade is established, respectively the range of goods will be expanded. We are mainly talking about wholesale trade,” said Murad Yazberdiyev. He also added that the number of companies that had not traded before would be increased.
Speaking about machines as the main import from Belarus, the Ambassador said it was time to set up centers in Turkmenistan to service the machines because the trade figures are large. Besides, the country intends to promote cooperation in this area. According to Murad Yazberdiyev, they are working on it already.
The Ambassador also said that in the future Belarus and Turkmenistan are interested not only in increasing the trade turnover but in implementing projects to create joint enterprises. The Garlyk ore mining and processing enterprise, which is scheduled for commissioning in early 2015, is a fine example of such cooperation, explained Murad Yazberdiyev.