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Information about Minsk Region
The Minsk region is one of the most economically developed regions in the Republic of Belarus. Favorable geographical situation and the availability of natural resource potential are the factors determining the social and economic development of the region.
The region is situated in the central part of the republic and its territory, including the city of Minsk, is 39.9 thousand sq. kilometers (19.2% of a total area of the Republic of Belarus). Its network of railway lines connects Russia and Europe, the Baltic States and the southern countries of the CIS.
Administratively, the region is divided into 22 districts, 24 towns (of which 1 is under the republican jurisdiction), 19 urban-type communities, and 5206 rural localities. Population is 1454 thousand people.
The leading position in the economy of the region occupies industry.
In the sectoral makeup of industrial production top priority is assigned to chemical and petrochemical industries (35.8%), food (22.1%), machine-building and metal processing (22.5%), forest, woodworking and pulp-and-paper industries (3.8%), construction materials producing (3.3%) and light industry (2.8%).
The Minsk region industry includes:
347 enterprises employing production personnel of 117.8 thousand people.
The major part of industrial enterprises is concentrated in town such as Soligorsk, Borisov, Zhodino, Slutsk, and Molo-dechno.
Among the enterprises of chemical and petrochemical industry the republican unitary enterprise Production Association Belaruskali of Soligorsk is the largest one. The enterprise accounts for 24.5% of the total volume of industrial products.
The leader in machine-building and metal processing indus¬try is the republican unitary production enterprise Belarusian Automobile Plant (Zhodino), which is a largest enterprise specialized in the production of heavy-duty dump trucks to be used for open-cut mining and for construction of large-scale water-development and industrial projects.
Among the leaders in the food industry, we can rightfully mention the Slutsk Sugar Refining Plant (ОАО "Slutski sakharorafinadny zavod") and the Gorodeja Sugar Beet Plant (ОАО "Gorodejski sakharni kombinat") in the Nesvizh district, as well as the Borisov Breadbaking Plant (UP "Borisovski kombinat of khieboproduktov"), the Minsk region Breadbaking Plant ( ОАО "Minskoblhlebprodukt"), the Borisov Meat Packing Plant (ОАО "Borisovski myasokombinat"), the Slutsk Meat Packing Plant (ОАО "Slutski myasokom-binat"), and the Slursk Cheese -Making Plant (OSO "Slutski syrodelni kombinat").
Small enterprises which commonly display higher rate of industrial production contribute significantly to the region development.
At present they are engaged in the production of industrial good, textile, cropping and sales of agricultural products, food production and other activities required for the socio-economic development of the region.
It is worth noting that small business is a dynamically developing sector of the economy in the region. It involves more than 40 thousand entities of which 29 thousand are individual entrepreneurs.
Under the program of small business support, an infrastructure was created which building blocks are a small business incubator ZAO "MAP ZAO" in the Minsk region, and small business support centers such as the Borisov Business Support Center, LLC and the Center of Agricultural Business Support "Komarovo", LLC in the village of Komarovo, Myadel district.
In the territory of the region, there is a successfully functioning free economic zone "Minsk" located at the intersection of trans-European arteries that has been established for the development of new high-tech productions. Among its distinguishing features is highly professional personnel, the current orientation of productions located therein (construction materials producing, packaging, and machine-building), as well as intensively developing logistic business in modem warehousing.
The FEZ residents enjoy special treatment in taxation, customs clearance and foreign exchange. Provision is also made for government backing in the implementation of investment projects.
One of the major targets of the policy conducted is further rise in the rural people's standard of living. As the real sector of the economy of small towns is based on the enterprises for processing agricultural stuffs which account for 23.8% of the total production in the region and 33.9% of commodity goods, the said enterprises are both the leading and town-forming enterprises here.
The agricultural complex involves 429 agricultural entities, 49 maintenance and repair service centers, 9 enterprises producing fruit and vegetable products, wines and spirits, 18 milk plants, including 1 subsidiary, 3 meat packing plants and 47 enterprises for maintenance of amelioration systems.
Agricultural companies annually produce one-forth of the total volume of gross output in the country. Efficient operation demonstrate SPK "Agrokombinat Snov", ОАО "Agrokombinat Dzerzhinski", MRUP "Agrokombinat "Zhdnovichi" and many others.
In 2009, work is underway on implementation of 23 top priority investment projects of the State Program for Development of Regions, Small and Medium Urban-Type Communities for the Period of 2007-2010. More than 54 million US dollars are to be allocated for implementation of the said investment projects.
Long-range development of the metropolitan regions and areas is a major objective of local authorities.
In view of the above, a major objective nowadays is to create a favorable investment climate for business develop¬ment and running in the region.
The Minsk region ranks second in the percentage of capital investment.
The region has been currently implementing the 2008 investment program which key projects are "Upgrading the fat-free milk and whey department" at the Volozhin Cheese-Making and Oilery, "Updating the Hard Cheese Making" at the Lyuban Cheese-Making Plant", "Mastering the Production of Dry Whey" at the Kopyl Cheese-Making and Oilery, and upgrading of the Berezinsky Cheese-Making Plant.
Foreign investments are actively attracted for implementation of investment projects.
Among the most interesting projects is a 1.7 million US dollars project of construction of a plant for production of industrial and household detergents in the territory of the Minsk region by M-Standard, LLC with Cyprus investment.
In the Pukhovichi district a plant for plant protection chemicals is currently being built with participation of a Russian investment at the premises of the close joint-stock company August-Bel. The cost of project is 40 million US dollars.
Foreign investments flow from 35 countries of the world. The most intensive inflow of foreign investment is from Switzerland, Russia, Cyprus, Great Britain, and Germany. For the year that passed investments to the economy of the Minsk region amounted to USD 143.5 million, of which USD 68.6 million is direct investment.
At present intensive work is underway toward the establishment of 13 transport and logistic centers, among which is the foreign limited liability company "Prilesje Logistic Center" in the Minsk region of more than 114 million US dollars worth with participation of an Iranian party, a joint venture BelVinges-Logistic, LLC in the Volozhin district, and a foreign enterprise BLT-Logistic, FE near the settlement of Obchak.
Among the promising projects of social importance is the construction of hypermarkets and shopping facilities in the outer part of the Minsk Ring Road.
A "Euroopt" hyper discounter of 7000 m2 floor area has already been put into operation and operates successfully.
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