In the first ten months of this year, trade turnover between Belarus and Russia grew by 1.8% to reach $44 billion. By the end of the year, the volume of Belarusian cargo transported through Russian ports is expected to total 16 million tons. The expansion toward the Russian market is occurring against the backdrop of a nearly 10% decline in Belarusian exports outside the CIS.
Dependence on the Russian market is increasing: at the beginning of the year, its share in Belarusian exports was 65%, rising to 67% by summer. At the same time, Belarusian statistics avoid detailing exports to Russia, as the growth in bilateral trade is primarily driven by increased Russian deliveries to Belarus.
Russian imports are actively entering segments traditionally dominated by Belarusian producers. In the first five months, food imports from Russia grew by 21%, and in eight months by 27%. Pork deliveries increased almost 1.5 times, and sunflower oil by two and a half times. Even in the dairy category, Belarus is losing ground: overall imports rose by 14%, while cheese imports surged nearly 40%.
Record shipments through Russian ports do not indicate new logistical opportunities; they merely reflect Belarus’s limited access to alternative routes.
