For the first quarter of the current year, key performance indicators have been assigned to the regions

For the 1st quarter of the current year, the region has been assigned key performance indicators: gross regional product, labor productivity, exports of goods and services, investment in fixed assets from foreign sources, net foreign direct investment, the number of employed in newly created jobs through the creation of new enterprises. Their implementation depends on the work of all regions and enterprises.

Analysis shows that, on the whole, Vitebsk region has coped with the planned targets in January and, judging by the current economic situation, will perform similarly in February. According to operational data, for the first month of the current year, industrial production amounted to 110.5% compared to January 2015, and innovative products shipped accounted for 34.4% of the total volume. Warehouse stocks in communal property organizations were 24.9% against the norm of 45% for the end of the current quarter.

However, the figures in this case are misleading, as the comparison is made with the corresponding period of 2015, when all economic indicators sharply declined compared to 2014. To overcome the allowed decline, it is necessary to significantly exceed the forecast indicators today. We do not have such growth, which implies that the snowball of negative phenomena related to enterprise workload, employment, wage payments, and financing of the budget sphere will grow.

Why it is not possible to reverse the situation and what should be done for this, were discussed by the participants

of the meeting held last Friday, chaired by the chairman of the regional executive committee Nikolai Sherstnev with the heads of districts and enterprises. The event was attended by the Assistant to the President of the Republic of Belarus – Chief Inspector for Vitebsk Region, Alexander Poznyak.

According to the chairman of the economy committee of the regional executive committee, Svyatoslav Zarovsky, for many the level of last year's January was not the limit of the decline in production volumes. In the current year, their decline was continued by Gluboksky, Chashniksky, Shumilinsky districts, as well as a third of the industrial enterprises of the region.

The production rate in agricultural organizations was 96.2%. The production of all types of products has decreased, with the exception of pig farming. As a result, the capacities of the "Meat and Dairy Products" concern for livestock processing are loaded by 29.5%, and dairy plants – by 77.6%.

Gluboksky and Orsha meat processing plants are completely failing export deliveries. At the same time, they need funds for modernization and technical re-equipment, for the purchase of equipment, which is usually imported. But if export markets are lost, where will the foreign currency payback for the projects come from?

There is no return from the distribution network of the Orsha meat canning plant in St. Petersburg. A huge market where the products of this enterprise are practically not represented. The assistance to the plant from the Orsha district executive committee is not felt, despite the existing contacts with the administrations of the districts of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region. A similar reproach deserves also

Polotsk and Glubokoye District Executive Committees.

A significant amount of funds has been invested in the implementation of new technologies for cooling and storing products at the Miory Meat Processing Plant. And the region has the right to expect an adequate increase in the export of value-added products today.

The negative consequences of restricting sales of fish products from the Braslav district to Russia were absolutely predictable, as in fact, today all exports from this district depend on a single exporter – the enterprise "Belkokslat".

A similar dependence on one or two exporters in Gorodok, Dubrovno, Lepel, Chashniki, and Shumilino districts. Therefore, as soon as the Dubrovno flax mill stopped supplying flax fiber to China, there are no other sources for increasing exports in the district.

Undoubtedly, cities have the greatest impact on export performance – accounting for about 85% of foreign sales volumes. At the same time, at least 60% of export supplies in cities fall on the entrepreneurial sector, which also needs state support, product promotion through interregional ties and contacts, inclusion of representatives of the entrepreneurial sector in delegations of cities and districts traveling abroad, and placement of their commercial proposals on the websites of city and district executive committees.

Economists see the influence on the situation as both objective and subjective reasons. But in their opinion, the basis is the lack of initiative in finding solutions to existing problems. Enterprise managers are weakly engaged.

promotion of products abroad, search for new sales markets, expansion of the distribution network, organization of e-commerce.

The regional administration also believes that the work initiated in the region to uncover the potential of enterprises and organizations is not effective, which leads to the conclusion that personnel solutions are needed. Nikolay Sherstnyov emphasized that managers will be evaluated based on the results of two months, and final conclusions on their suitability for their positions will be made based on the results of the first quarter, as required by the Head of State.

Lyudmila Myshlyonok,
chief specialist
of the main department
of ideological work, culture
and youth affairs of the regional executive committee.