Industry, innovative products: in which sectors did the Vitebsk region achieve growth in 2023
Enterprises of the Vitebsk region produced import-substituting products worth $784.2 million this year and shipped innovative products worth almost 6 billion rubles.
These and other figures on the implementation of the main parameters of the socio-economic development of the region were announced at a session of the regional Council of Deputies, where the issue of implementing the main parameters of the socio-economic development forecast for 2023 and the forecast indicators for 2024 was considered.
Despite the difficulties
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 occurred for several decades. At the same time, the region's economic complex coped with the difficulties, and ways out were found in challenging conditions. 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, the head of the region emphasized and referred 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.
The Vitebsk region 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 the corresponding period last year. The efficiency indicators for total revenue collection in the consolidated budget (122%), where all regions made an effort; and average wages – 117.3% were met. 16 districts coped with the tasks in this indicator, while Gluboksky, Dokshitsky, Lioznensky, Polotsky, Rossonsky, Ushachsky, and Chashniksky fell short. Positive dynamics compared to last year's level were ensured for gross regional product and investment in fixed assets.
Regarding industry, more than 66% of the region's revenue is generated here. 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, knitted goods, whole milk products, and fruit, vegetable, and fish preserves, among others, increased. The growth in industrial production volumes was ensured by 13 regions, including Vitebsk, Gluboksky, Gorodoksky, Dokshitsky, Lepelsky, Vitebsk, Novopolotsk, and others.
The industrial complex ensured profitable operation, with net profit amounting to 256 million rubles and a sales profitability of 6.6%. Organizations in the region shipped innovative products worth almost 6 billion rubles, or 36.4% of the volume of shipped products from the previous year.
Orshaagroprommash OJSC has mastered the production of cutting beams, gear shafts, and gearboxes of five models. Manuli Hydraulics Manufacturing Bel LLC has mastered 16 new high-pressure hoses, Orsha Meat Processing Plant has mastered 9 new product types (meat preserves and boiled sausage products for children's nutrition, lard products, etc.), and Gluboksky Meat Processing Plant has mastered 38 new product types.
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.
The geography of sales markets 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 through cooperation with Russian companies. 76 enterprises of Vitebsk region are involved in this process, producing more than 170 types of such products.
Enterprises of Pridvinye supply to 71 states and 77 regions of the Russian Federation, exporting over 1.5 thousand product types, 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.
The task for 2024 is to increase the volume of 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 production; in Gorodok district – for wooden packaging manufacturing; in Sennno 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 increased utilization of production capacities through the development of raw material zones and increased raw material supply for industrial processing, as well as the saturation of the consumer market with dairy and meat products and other food items.
Investment Program
The implementation of measures for the technical re-equipment and modernization of production facilities by organizations of the Vitebsk Meat and Dairy Products Concern will continue. In the forecast year, technical modernization of the cannery, reconstruction of production wastewater treatment facilities at OJSC "Gluboksky MCC", repurposing of the semi-finished products workshop into a canned meat production workshop at the Gluboksky Meat Processing Plant, and creation of a new production facility (sour cream) at the Verkhnedvinsk Butter and Cheese Plant are planned.
In the light industry, Orsha Linen Mill will continue its work on the localized modernization of production sections, and "Vitebskiye Kovry" will implement an investment project to organize the production of backing 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 their production processes and replace outdated equipment with new, high-tech solutions.
The industrial production index for the light industry is projected to be at least 105% compared to 2023.
In 2024, the implementation of an investment project for the construction of a fish processing enterprise in the Vitebsk FEZ will begin, which will create more than 300 jobs. It is planned to attract 80 million rubles of investment into the economy of the regional center.
Social Priorities
Significant attention will be paid to the construction of social facilities, for which over 460 million rubles will be allocated.
Construction of a new polyclinic will begin in the "Aeroport" microdistrict in Polotsk, and the reconstruction of the regional clinical hospital and the second building of the regional infectious disease hospital will continue. The construction of family-type children's homes is planned in Vitebsk and Postavy, and the construction of preschool educational institutions will continue in Lepel, Novopolotsk, Vitebsk, and Orsha. 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 lower than 103% by 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
- Ensure a gross regional product growth rate of 103.8% compared to the 2023 level.
- Direct 3.7 billion rubles of investments into the region's economy (104.4% compared to 2023).
- The revenue is set 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 be maintained at 107.1%.
- Maintain the unemployment rate within 4%.
Source: vitebsk-region.gov.by