A. Lukashenko will get acquainted with the development of Belarus' flax industry today

March 5, Orsha / Tatyana Polezhay - BELTA /. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko will pay a working visit to the Vitebsk region today. The head of state will be acquainted with the socio-economic development of the region, BELTA was informed by the press service of the Belarusian leader. The President's attention will be focused on the development of the flax industry. Alexander Lukashenko will visit the Orsha Flax Mill to familiarize himself with the flax production cycle and the implementation of previously given instructions. Over the past five years, the President has issued 68 instructions to the government on the development of the flax industry. Alexander Lukashenko will also hold a meeting to determine the future development paths of the industry and its transition to profitable operation. Despite the fact that the flax industry is promising and developing quite actively worldwide, it operates at a loss in Belarus. The state has invested about Br560 billion in its development. The Orsha Flax Mill is the only enterprise in the republic for the production and sale of linen fabrics and other flax products. The enterprise's share in the city's industrial production is 27%, and it employs over 33% of the total number of people employed in industry. The flax mill includes five factories, and the process of producing linen fabrics involves about 100 technological processes. Technical re-equipment of production has been underway at the enterprise since 2007-2009, and new technological equipment is being installed. The depreciation of fixed assets for the flax mill as a whole is 56.6%. By the beginning of 2012, due to re-equipment, it is planned that equipment depreciation will decrease to 32.3%. The stock of products at the enterprise's warehouses remains high, with products worth Br66 billion. -0-