Artur Parfenchikov: Karelian export portfolio covers 83 countries
Karelian products are exported to Central Asian countries, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and the Arab States. The Head of Karelia told the federal newspaper “Vedomosti” about this.
The Regional Governor Artur Parfenchikov spoke to the federal publication “Vedomosti” about the republican industrial development and how the market for the Karelian products has changed under sanctions.
– Dozens of countries. Central Asian countries, Azerbaijan, Turkey, the Arab states. Last year alone, our export portfolio covered 83 countries, and over 80% of small and medium-sized businesses are exporters, – the Head of Karelia responded to the question "Which countries show interest in the regional products?"
At the same time, as Artur Parfenchikov noted, a significant portion of the products is sent to the domestic market:
– From the Urals to Krasnodar. We have demand for lumber and prefabricated houses. The domestic market even replaces foreign markets in some areas. As for pulp, we still need the Chinese market, especially for electrotechnical pulp and similar products.
The Head of Karelia also told “Vedomosti” about the republican government support for business:
– Now the main thing for business from us is assistance with sales. We actively work with timber industry enterprises and help find markets. The same applies to stone products. In this sense, the contract with Moscow is of great importance. Speaking about logistics and doing business, we cannot fail to mention our advantage, the only road to Murmansk, to the Northern Sea Route goes through Karelia. There are also measures of compensatory support. At the initial stage, they played a very serious role when transport costs associated with export logistics, including for timber, were compensated. We work through various business missions, contacts with our colleagues from other countries. We involve the economic departments of foreign embassies. For example, last year and the year before we went to Uzbekistan. As a result, our trade turnover has noticeably increased in many areas. Our firefighting robots are now being installed at the Tashkent airport.
Интервью Главы Республики Карелия "Ведомостям"