Belarus will manufacture whole range of agricultural equipment, Prime Minister says
27.04.2007
Belarus will manufacture the whole range of agricultural equipment, the Prime Minister of Belarus, Sergei Sidorskiy said at an international conference “Republic of Belarus: Innovation Policy, Competitiveness, Security,” held within the framework of the international specialised exhibition Tibo-2007.
According to the premier, Production Association Gomselmash (the Gomel-based manufacturer of agricultural machinery) will start the manufacture of harvesters. “That company, within a short period of time, started the production of equipment which is totally new for this country. The goal is to enlarge the offering range and reach the level of European producers in order to fully replace imported equipment with that produced in Belarus,” Sergei Sidorskiy said.
This year Gomselmash will come up with new harvesters modelled on the Lexion combines. Today Gomselmash is testing the new machines. “Once this is done Belarus will become the only country in the CIS to manufacture the whole range of agricultural equipment from KZS-7 to Lexion-type combines,” the Prime Minister said.
“We have received proposals from a foreign company who wants to set up a joint venture with Gomselmash. We are ready to share knowledge and attract leading-edge technology, investments,” the Prime Minister said.
Speaking about the state program of the country’s innovation-based development for 2007-2010, Sergei Sidorskiy said that the process of setting up the manufacture of seamless pipes at Belarusian Steel Works is nearing completion. The cost of the project stands at EUR 210 million. ‘by implementing this project the government was seeking to launch manufacture of competitive seamless pipes and to expand the opportunities to increase the competitiveness by means of pipe coating,’ he said.
An important project is underway at Research and Production Corporation Integral. ‘We purchase cutting-edge equipment for manufacture of integrated circuits,’ the Prime Minister said. Investment under project is estimated at $50 million.
The development of the projects on producing iron ore, brown coals is nearing completion.
The program provides for setting up 100 new companies in the country. ‘These will be modern companies applying latest technologies and with minimum energy costs,’ Sergei Sidorskiy said. Moreover, 386 new manufactures will be set up, 800 existing productions will be modernized. This will give an opportunity to increase the competitiveness of the Belarusian economy.