How private trade is developing in rural areas, experts told

December 26, MINSK . Specialists from the Brest Regional Executive Committee and the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade told in the BELTA project how private trade is developing in rural areas.

Private business in rural areas is developing, noted Larisa Pisetskaya, HEAD of the main department of trade and services of the Brest Regional Executive Committee. “Today there are benefits for trade in rural areas, for example, Decree No. 345 “On the development of trade, public catering and consumer services,” which provides tax benefits and benefits for the acquisition of property. For example, in the Drogichinsky district there is a private company that has about 12 retail facilities, of which 8 are located in rural areas. Also, a unitary enterprise has been operating profitably in Ivatsevichi since 2012,” she said. “Competition is good. This means that everyone strives for something, develops, imports an assortment, takes into account preferences buyers".

According to Natalia Cherepovich, deputy head of the methodology department for organizing trade and public catering at MART, Decree No. 345 is aimed at developing trade, catering and consumer services in rural areas. “Its goal is to attract business entities there to carry out these types of activities. In addition to tax benefits, the document provides a number of certain preferences, for example, it allows individual entrepreneurs or legal entities to sell alcoholic beverages,” she explained.

In addition, the document contains a norm that allows large retail chains that have infrastructural excesses to open retail facilities. For example, a fairly developed retail chain has infrastructural limitations, but it wants to open a store in another locality. If this item is included in a certain list by councils of deputies, then this opportunity is provided.

Natalia Cherepovich also added that in rural areas the price of certain products may be slightly higher due to delivery. “In the city, everything is mobile, everything is nearby,” she said. “Items that are regulated by Resolution No. 713 “On the Price Regulation System” must still fit within the maximum markup, that is, the price for them will be slightly different or will be the same in the city, as in the countryside. Other goods may be more expensive due to the fact that it is necessary to compensate for other costs."

The project was created using targeted funds for the production of national content.

Photo by Pavel Orlovsky