Belarus to expand cooperation with New Zealand

MINSK, 12 February (BelTA) – Belarus’ business circles intend to expand cooperation with New Zealand, BelTA learnt from Director General of the Minsk Office of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) Alexander Fedorchuk.

A delegation of Belarusian businessmen paid a visit to New Zealand in late January to boost the export potential of Belarusian companies and seek new markets. The sides agreed to look into the opportunities of wool supplies to Belarus and the deliveries of Belarusian potash fertilizers, tractors, alcoholic products, food and consumer goods, such as hosiery, knitwear, footwear, glass and carpets, to New Zealand. Businessmen agreed on an exchange of agricultural specialists and the construction of demonstrational cattle farms in Belarus. “The geographical position of our country allows businessmen from New Zealand view it as a bridge to the market of the CIS and European countries through opening up joint productions and development of the relevant infrastructure in Belarus,” Alexander Fedorchuk said.

The delegation comprised representatives of six Belarusian companies representing banking, agricultural, construction and exhibition sectors. Among them are VTB Bank, Bank Moscow-Minsk, Consul, Prometheus, Triada-K and Minskvneshtorginvest companies.

The business trip included participation in a roundtable at the Wellington Chamber of Commerce and Industry, presentations, working meetings and talks with businessmen from New Zealand. Belarusian businessmen met with representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand, the New Zealand Wool Manufacturers Association, the Bank of New Zealand, Australia-New Zealand Banking Group, Westpac Consulting, Buddlefindlay Insurance, Fonterra Dairy Corporation, PGG Wrightson agricultural company, a supplier of New Zealand supermarket network Foodstuffs, an agricultural college and a dairy farm in Masterton.

“The main event was the roundtable at the Wellington Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Apart from negotiations with businessmen of New Zealand, the Belarusian delegation voiced commercial proposals of MTZ and Bobruiskagromash on the delivery of agricultural equipment to New Zealand and that of Bellegprom Concern to purchase New Zeland wool,” Alexander Fedorchuk said.

The Belarusian delegation also met with General Manager for Strategy and Communication of PGG Wrightson Craig Osborne and Manager for Business Development of PGG Wrightson Craig Newell. Interest in developing cooperation with this company was showed by representatives of the Belarusian company Consul. They are ready to study New Zealand experience in the production of milk and grass seeds for pastures. They are also interested in training specialists in cattle breeding and the construction of a demo cattle farm in Belarus. Top managers of the Prometheus Company intend to look into a possibility of a joint project with this company on the supply of Belarus with turkey meat processing equipment.

At the meeting with representatives of the New Zealand Wool Manufacturers Association, Belarusian businessmen discussed the supplies of Belarusian tractors. “Wool Equities Ltd. Chairman Clifford Heath expressed intention to set up a joint company to supply wool to Belarus. He has also shown interest in Belarusian potash fertilizers and alcoholic products. Representatives of the company are set to visit Minsk in June as part of a delegation of businessmen of New Zealand to look into the issue in detail,” Alexander Fedorchuk said.

New Zealand’s Foodstuffs which specializes in the wholesale purchase for New Zealand trading networks is interested in acquiring Belarusian goods, in particular, chocolate, hosiery and knitwear, products made of glass, leather, flax, carpets. The company will work out a list of necessary consumer goods for the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in order to look into the ways of their supplies to New Zealand.

The Bank of New Zealand plans to develop cooperation with partners from Belarus and work on the contacts with Belarusian banks such as VTB Bank and Bank Moscow-Minsk.

The business visit was organized by the BCCI Office in Minsk jointly with the Honorary Consul of Belarus to New Zealand.