OREANDA-NEWS. September 04, 2009. In January-July Belarus has preserved generally positive development trends. Over the seven months the GDP grew 100.4%, Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky informed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.

At present securing the required output rate is the biggest problem of the Industry Ministry. While in January 2009 the output rate stood at 83.8% as against the same period of 2008, the figure shrank to 82.2% in Q1 2009 and 76.4% in January-July 2009. In January-July 2009 the industrial output totaled 96.1% as against January-July 2008.

The Agriculture and Food Ministry, the concerns Belneftekhim, Belgospischeprom, and Belbiopharm have increased their output. The Architecture and Construction Ministry and the Bellegprom concern are steadily reducing the gap between this year’s figures and last year’s ones.

The Belarusian Industry Ministry was commissioned with a task to secure at least an 82% growth rate of the industrial output in 2009.

In H1 2009 the foreign trade deficit amounted to \\$3.1 billion. The export totaled \\$10.6 billion (54.6% as against January-June 2008), import — \\$13.7 billion (67%).

The reduced export of Belarusian products is attributed to the lower output and falling prices for exports. The export will be increased by diversifying market outlets (in H1 2009 the sales area of Belarusian goods grew larger with 11 new countries), preserving and enhancing the grasp on the Russian market, and creating assembly enterprises in foreign markets.

The Industry Ministry has been charged with setting up 23 new assembly enterprises in the CIS states as well as China, India, Iran, Venezuela, Libya, Sudan, Syria and several other countries.

The deficit of the merchandise trade will be compensated for by increasing the export of services along with other measures.

The President studied a report on the accomplishment of his instructions to reduce warehouse stockpiles. The main criteria for assessing the work of heads of enterprises are not the fulfillment of output targets, but good sales of products, full-time employment, timely salary payment, technical upgrade and enhancement of competitiveness of products.

As of 1 August 2009, warehouse excess stocks of ready-made goods in industry were worth Br6.9 trillion and accounted for 88.3% of the monthly average output. In July 2009 they reduced by Br465.5 billion.

All the industries posted reduction of warehouse excess stocks in July.

In order to help manufacturers sell their products, a decision was taken to step up the work of Belarusian institutions abroad and develop the distribution network.

Draft decrees on the creation of favourable conditions for developing leasing activity and establishment of a national leasing company were put forward for consideration by the head of state.

A draft decree introducing additional incentives for individual entrepreneurs to sell Belarusian products abroad has been prepared.

The President was informed about the results of the work of the IMF mission in Belarus. The IMF experts noted that all performance criteria agreed by the sides had been met by 1 July.

The Belarusian leader was told about the results of the visit of the Belarusian governmental delegation to Gdansk (Poland) on 1-2 September. The Belarusian delegation took part in a day of remembrance in Poland to mark the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II.

Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky met with his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk. The sides emphasized the importance of efficient economic cooperation for promoting the constructive dialogue between the two states.

The Prime Minister of Belarus also met with Vice Premier of Poland, Economy Minister Waldemar Pawlak to sign a memorandum on cooperation in the power industry. The sides discussed a wide range of issues regarding power engineering, transportation of oil products and transit of natural gas.

Sergei Sidorsky also met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The Premiers agreed to hold a working meeting of the heads of state of the two countries in the near future.

Apart from that, the Belarusian Premier met with the Prime Ministers of Lithuania, Ukraine, Italy and Serbia.