The head of state was briefed on the modernization of the woodworking shop and the installation of new production lines, which are expected to significantly improve financial and economic performance. Processing volumes are expected to increase from 43,700 cubic meters to almost 61,000 cubic meters per year, with profits expected to increase more than 3.5-fold, and profitability from 10% to 19%. Exports are expected to increase from $1.8 million to $3 million. The president inquired about the profitability of exports, demand in foreign markets, and the competitiveness of the company’s products. He received assurances that international sales are generating strong profits. Products are currently sold to Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China, among others. According to experts, the payback period for the modernization project is 3.5 years.
“We should have more of such production facilities. And for this, you [Yuri Nazarov, Head of the Presidential Property Management Directorate] should receive a loan at a symbolic interest rate. It’s a worthwhile investment. The payback is guaranteed. Vitebsk Oblast should be dotted with such production facilities,” the head of state said.
The workshop produces everyday wooden goods, such as cutting boards, which are in demand. Speaking with the artisans, Aleksandr Lukashenko underscored the need to train the next generation of artisans and preserve these skills.
He pointed to the case of Belkhudozhpromysly, which was previously transferred to the Presidential Property Management Directorate. While the move was criticized by opponents at the time, it proved essential for preserving both unique Belarusian crafts and, most importantly, the artisans who practice them.
“They possess unique, irreplaceable skills. My intention was to preserve them, yet I was criticized by these scoundrels who said that I took over Belkhudozhpromysly. But what was it? A dying enterprise. Its products, however, are timeless. So who would produce them? These artisans and their apprentices,” said the Belarusian leader.
Forestry is another key activity for the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve. The reserve harvests around 100,000 cubic meters of wood per year from all types of felling, complemented by a robust reforestation effort that covers more than 120 hectares annually.
The development of wood processing became a logical extension of this activity. In September 2024, a drying complex with four chambers was completed. This was followed by the commissioning of several new facilities this year, including a garden furniture workshop, a round timber sorting line, an edged lumber line using circular saws, a workshop for timber optimization and splicing to produce profiled lumber, and a pallet production facility.
Thus, the reserve’s production facilities have been completely modernized. The implementation of investment projects has enabled more efficient use of wood in processing, maintaining the growth rate of industrial production, and producing goods with higher added value.
