Vitebsk oblast in for long-term economic contacts with Saint Petersburg

The Vitebsk oblast plans to establish long-term economic contacts with Saint Petersburg, BelTA learnt from Nikolai Fedorchuk, Senior Counsellor for Transboundary Cooperation and Trade for the Vitebsk Oblast Governor. A fair featuring products of Vitebsk oblast companies will be the first step towards cooperation. The fair is scheduled to take place in the Moskovsky district of Saint Petersburg on September 22-24. The fair will feature products of 25 companies of the Vitebsk oblast, including footwear producers Belwest and Marko, OJSC Vitebsk Carpets, apparel maker Charovnitsa, hosiery factory Vasilina. Agricultural products will be presented by Olgovo, Vesna-Energo (a subsidiary of Vitebskenergo company). Meat and dairy products from Vitebsk companies are traditionally popular among Russian buyers. Meat and dairy products will be showcased by Orsha and Vitebsk meat-packing plants, Vitebsk-based dairy producer Moloko and Orshasyrzavod. As part of the fair a Vitebsk oblast delegation, which will include Vice Governor Piotr Yuzhik, is expected to hold negotiations with the Saint Petersburg administration to discuss the development of economic cooperation between the two regions. The agreements yet to be reached are supposed to be strengthened by a corresponding treaty. The latter will be signed during a reciprocal visit of the Saint Petersburg delegation to Vitebsk, said Nikolai Fedorchuk.