Belarus' Key Exports: A Trade Overview

Belarus is an upper-middle-income economy with a focus on exports. In 2022, it was the 100th largest exporter in the world, with a total export value of $10.4 billion. The country's top two exports are potassic fertilizers and refined petroleum.

Belarus's top exports

Belarus is an upper-middle-income country with a mixed economy. The country has trade relations with over 170 countries worldwide and exported US$7.12 billion worth of goods globally in 2023.

The top two exports of Belarus are:

• Fertilizers: US$2 billion (28.5% of total exports)
• Animal/vegetable fats, oils, and waxes: $553.7 million (7.8%)

Other major exports from Belarus include:

• Wood
• Meat
• Dairy, eggs, and honey
• Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, and prefabricated buildings
• Plastics and plastic articles
• Electrical machinery and equipment
• Machinery, including computers
• Vehicles
• Cheese
• Coniferous wood
• Metal products
• Tractors
• Tires

Petrochemicals

Belarus has two large oil refineries: JSC NAFTAN and JSC Mozyr Oil Refinery. Together, they have a total refining capacity of over 20 million tonnes of crude oil per year. The export of their products is made through the Belarusian Oil Trade House and JSC Belarusian Oil Company. Belarusian gasoline, diesel, and mazut meet EU standards.

The Belarusian chemical industry specializes in extracting value from Russian oil products, which transit through the country's pipelines to Germany and the west. Synthetic polymers like nylon, viscose, acrylic, polyester, and polyethylene are produced from this stream, as well as household chemical products. Oil refineries are located in Navapolacak (Naftan) and Mazyr (Mozyr Oil Refinery).

More than 500 kinds of chemical and petrochemical products are produced in Belarus by a single firm: the Belneftekhim Concern. This firm is among the largest and most strategically important businesses in the country, providing about 30% of all industrial output in Belarus and half of its exports. More than 70% of petrochemical products are sold abroad.

In 2022, Belarus's exports of refined petroleum totalled $797 million, making it one of the country's top five exports.

Meat and dairy

Belarus is one of the world's leading producers of food, exporting a significant amount of meat and dairy products. In 2019, Belarus was the world's fourth-largest exporter of skimmed milk powder, the seventh-largest exporter of butter, the ninth-largest exporter of whole milk powder, and the tenth-largest exporter of cheese and cottage cheese. The country's dairy and meat industries offer a diverse range of products, with around 1,000 meat products and over 1,500 dairy products available.

The meat industry in Belarus focuses primarily on livestock production, including pork, beef, and poultry. While Belarus has approximately 1.5 million cows, milk yields are relatively low, with less than 3,000 kg of milk produced per cow per year. However, the country's meat exports contribute significantly to its economy, with meat exports totalling $410.6 million in 2023, a decline of 22.5% from the previous year.

The dairy industry in Belarus is highly developed and constantly evolving. In 2023, Belarus exported dairy products to 59 countries worldwide, with about 60% of its dairy products sold abroad. The industry is able to meet domestic demand in just 1.5 to 2 months, with the remaining time dedicated to producing for export. About 75% of the butter produced in Belarus is shipped internationally. Overall, the dairy industry accounts for approximately 40% of the country's agricultural product exports, making it the most significant sector in the agricultural industry.

The success of the meat and dairy industries in Belarus can be attributed to their focus on product quality and range. Belarusian companies have won numerous awards at national and international exhibitions, showcasing their commitment to producing high-quality, diverse products. The industries are also supported by the state food industry concern Belgospishcheprom and the Agriculture and Food Ministry, which incorporate the country's largest manufacturers of meat and dairy products.

Wood and timber

Belarus is a forest power, with the strategic goal of rationally and integratively using its forest resources. The country exported $500.5 million worth of wood in 2023, making it one of the country's top 10 exports. In 2021, the top partner countries for wood exports included the Russian Federation, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Germany.

The logging sector in Belarus includes the procurement and hauling of timber, cross-cutting, production of industrial wood and wood products, production of sawlogs, veneer, matchboxes, and technological raw materials, as well as resin extraction. The country has over 50 wood industry companies of different forms of ownership, which together are the largest consumers of timber prepared in the country.

The woodworking and furniture production sector is divided into two major branches: primary processing of wood raw materials and production of elements for the furniture and construction industries (such as windows, doors, and mouldings), and the production of furniture directly addressed to the end market. The largest furniture manufacturers in Belarus are the enterprises of the Bellesbumprom concern, which exports its products to 60 countries worldwide.

In addition to wood, Belarus also exports sawn wood, with exports worth $451 million in 2022, making it one of the country's top five exports in that year. The main destinations for these exports are China, Ukraine, Poland, Kazakhstan, and Lithuania.

Machinery

Belarus's machinery exports include tractors, heavy trucks, earth-moving equipment, and agricultural machinery. The country's tractor exports are particularly notable, with Belarus supplying about 8-10% of wheeled tractors for the world market. Minsk Tractor Works is one of the most famous factories for the production of agricultural machinery, currently supplying over 60 tractor modifications to hundreds of contractors for work in various climatic conditions.

In addition to agricultural machinery, Belarus also exports machinery for construction and mining. BelAZ, a Belarusian manufacturer of heavy-duty dump trucks, participates in concerts on equipment manufacturing for open-cast mining and construction. In 2013, the company assembled a dump truck with a record-breaking carrying capacity of over 503 tons.

Belarus's machinery exports also include vehicles for passenger transport. MAZ, a Belarusian brand of onboard cars, chassis, and tractors, produces buses for city trips, intercity, and tourist trails. These buses can be found on roads and routes in foreign countries.

Furthermore, Belarus has a significant electrical machinery and equipment industry, exporting $219.9 million worth of these products in 2023. This category includes electrical machinery, electrical equipment, and vehicles. However, it is important to note that Belarus experiences a significant trade deficit in the vehicles category, with imports exceeding exports.

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