Lukashists Failed With Their Plans On "Fighting" Against Imports

Belarusians have started buying fewer domestic goods.

In Belarus, the share of domestic goods in retail sales fell to 59.2% in 2021, reports Belstat. A year earlier, this figure was 59.8%, whereas in 2018, for example, it was 62.0%. At the same time, one of the main objectives of the government for last year was a strict control of prices and imported goods, writes zerkalo.io.

The situation with imports in 2021 was as follows

The share of domestically produced goods in the retail trade was 59.2% in 2020, reports Belstat. The statistics does not take into account microenterprises. For comparison, in 20120 the figure was 59.8%, in 2019 - 61%, and in 2018 - 62.8%.

In terms of foodstuffs, domestic products accounted for 76.6% last year. A year earlier it was 77.1%, in 2019 - 77.5% and in 2018 - 79.6%.

In 2021 the share of Belarusian non-food products was 40.6%. In 2020 the share was 40.9%, in 2019 - 43%, in 2018 - 43.6%.

Things officials are trying to do to combat imports

Officials have been planning to reduce the share of imported products for years. The Doctrine of National Food Security by 2030 stipulated that by the end of 2020 the number of imports on the shelves of grocery shops will be reduced to 15%, and by the end of 2030 - to 14%. At the same time, officials planned that by the end of 2020 the number of domestic products would increase to 85% of the total assortment.

- In order to promote national goods following the international practice it is suggested to put them in visually and physically accessible places and mark them with a special sign or an inscription "Made in the Republic of Belarus / Made in Belarus" or by similar means, - noted the MART.

For 2021, it was planned among the measures to combat imports to consider the possibility of crediting the purchase of not only goods but also services, in particular, the rest and treatment at the domestic health resorts. "Similar to the way the loan programme for purchasing Geely cars manufactured by BELGEE was implemented," the government said.