An atlas of in-demand manufacturing and services for small towns has been created for private businesses in the Vitebsk region

February 23, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. A unique atlas of in-demand manufacturing and services in small towns has been created in the Vitebsk region for private businesses, Valentin Tsvetkov, head of the entrepreneurship department of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee's Economy Committee, told BELTA correspondent. At the request of the regional executive committee, the Vitebsk Marketing Center, together with representatives of the Vitebsk State Technological University, conducted a marketing study of the resource potential of rural areas as part of the small business support program. "When wanting to start their own business, entrepreneurs most often ask the same questions: what to do and how. This study allows us to answer them, based on data from sociological surveys, analysis of existing industries, assessment of natural resources and human resources," explained Valentin Tsvetkov. For each of the 21 rural districts of the region, researchers recommended a list of in-demand and economically viable manufacturing and services for private businesses. Priority areas include the development of import-substituting products, including those based on the processing of agricultural products and the use of local raw materials. For rural entrepreneurs, the organization of various types of services can be promising - rental services, hotel business, transportation, fitness and wellness, and entertainment services. Niches such as household services for the population, including those provided on a call-out basis, beekeeping, roadside services, and procurement activities are far from saturated. For example, researchers consider agritourism, roadside services, tourist and excursion services, entertainment services, animator services, mobile trade and household services for the rural population, and collection of secondary raw materials to be relevant activities in the Vitebsk district. In the Senno district, niches such as sapropel extraction and processing, and private fitness and wellness activities are unoccupied. As Valentin Tsvetkov noted, the researchers did not limit themselves to identifying in-demand activities, but also developed 11 standard business plans, including for the creation of a production facility for fuel briquettes, pig breeding, creation of a apiary, and a roadside service facility. For example, according to economists' calculations, an organizer of a laying hen farm with 500 birds can achieve break-even production in the first month of operation of their farm. Their monthly net profit will be about Br1.2 million, and the profitability of such production exceeds 26%. Based on the results of the marketing study, recommendations for each district have been published in separate brochures. The materials have been transferred to local executive committees so that everyone wishing to start their own business can familiarize themselves with them. The brochures also contain examples of small business organization and options for standard business plans. As of January 1, 2011, more than 29,000 individual entrepreneurs and over 8,000 small and medium-sized enterprises were registered in the Vitebsk region. In 2010, entrepreneurs created 18,800 jobs, which is almost 75% of all jobs created in the region. Private businesses invested Br568.5 billion in fixed assets last year, and exported products by 28% more than in 2009. In January 2011, private business investments amounted to Br32 billion.