OREANDA-NEWS. February 09, 2010. Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Belarus for the past year reached USD135 million.

Byelorussian ambassador Nikolay Patskevich to Azerbaijan says that commodity exchange between the two states totaled USD135 million, including USD125 million on commodities and about USD10 million on services.

“Our countries’ services increased mutually by 70%, and goods turnover by 12%; growth rate reached 112% and services 170%. It made on average 115%. It is very important as both Belarus and Azerbaijan observed decline of trade turnover with many countries in 2009 against 2008. Among other countries supplying goods to Azerbaijan, we following 2008 were at 17th place and following 2009 occupied steadily 10th place and are near such countries as, for example, France,” the ambassador said.

He is sure that this year turnover of commodities is going to improve.

“Today we have certain idea about the signed agreements. First, already today we can speak with assurance that the work conducted by both Azerbaijani and Byelorussian sides will result with growth of commodities turnover. There are concrete examples. In the course of mutual business visits our countries achieve agreements. It means our bilateral ties have not crisis,” Patskevich said.

In 2009, Belarus exported to Azerbaijan mainly machine building output (lorries, road-building equipment, transformers, lifts), timber products (plywood, chip boards), pharmaceutical goods, consumer commodities (fridges, washing machines), foodstuffs, building materials.

Import from Azerbaijan composed farm products and raw materials, including fruit juices, vegetables, nuts and output of petrochemical complex.