Belarus and the Vologda oblast are able to double the mutual trade in the future, Governor of the Vologda oblast Vyacheslav Pozgalev told reporters after the meeting with Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky in Minsk on September 8. In 2007, the trade between Belarus and the Russian region neared $400 million.
According to Vyacheslav Pozgalev, the meeting highlighted three major cooperation areas: metallurgy, engineering including tractor construction, flax production and processing. The Governor of the Vologda oblast noted that Cherepovets metallurgists (the Severstal Company) plan to increase metal supplies to Belarus. Vologda consumers are interested in raising purchases of Belarusian tractors. The two sides considered an opportunity to set up a joint venture on timber machinery production in the Vologda oblast.
The issue of flax production and processing was decided to leave for the consideration of the Union State government. The issue can be included into a new Union State programme on flax industry development in Belarus and Russia.
Sergei Sidorsky and Vyacheslav Pozgalev signed the 2009-2010 programme on cooperation development between the governments of Belarus and the Vologda oblast.