OREANDA-NEWS. June 29, 2012. The trade turnover of Belarus and Poland is expected to reach USD 2.5 billion in 2012, Wieslaw Pokladek of the Polish Embassy’s Trade and Investment Agency told reporters Tuesday.

In the meantime, the trade turnover shrank 7% on the year in Q1 2012, with Polish exports to Belarus down by 14% and Belarusian exports to Poland up by 2%, Pokladek informed.

The embassy official attributes the decline in Polish exports to Belarus to administrative restrictions, which make Polish commodities uncompetitive in price terms.

Furthermore, Poland has given up credit sale schemes with Belarus, which puts the brakes on trade with small and medium business entities in Belarus, Pokladek informed.

The trade turnover of Belarus and Poland expanded 23% on the year in 2011 to reach USD 2.412 billion, the National Statistics Committee of Belarus reports. At the same time, as reported by Poland’s Economy Ministry, the figure stands at USD 3.217 billion, up 32% on the year.