Amid Falling Export Markets, belarus Is Increasing Trade Dependence on russia

In the first ten months of this year, trade turnover between belarus and russia grew by 1.8  % having reached $44 billion. By the end of the year, the volume of belarusian cargo transported through russian ports will amount to 16 million tons. The expansion of trade with russia is taking place against the background of a nearly 10 % decline in belarusian exports outside the CIS.

Dependence on the russian market is increasing: while at the beginning of the year, its share in belarusian exports was 65 %, by the summer it had grown to 67 %. At this, belarusian statistics avoids detailing exports to russia, since the growth in mutual trade is primarily due to an increase in russian supplies to the rb.

russia’s imports are actively entering segments that are traditional for belarusian producers. In five months, food imports from russia increased by 21 %, and in eight months – by 27 %. Supplies of pork increased almost one and a half times, of sunflower oil – two and a half times. Even in the dairy category, belarus is losing ground: total supplies increased by 14 %, cheese imports – by almost 40 %.

Record shipments through russian ports do not demonstrate new logistics opportunities: they only confirm belarus’ limited access to alternative routes.