Investment projects and economic efficiency. What are the prospects for meat and dairy enterprises in the Slutsk district?

September 1, Slutsk. Prime Minister Oleksandr Turchin visited the Slutsk CHEESE FACTORY and the Slutsk MEAT Processing Plant . The HEAD of government spoke to journalists about the prospects for the region's largest meat and dairy enterprises, according to a BelTA correspondent.

Turchin emphasized that these enterprises play a significant role, even on a national scale, because the country is investing heavily in local raw materials and developing dairy and meat production. "Their efficiency is very important to us, as it is for any sector of the economy," he stated.  The prime minister also cited investment

as crucial in developing the meat and dairy industry . "Whenever a company misses or disrupts the investment cycle, it leads to problems in the near future. One of the goals of my visit to these two enterprises was their further development," the prime minister explained. Around six investment projects are currently being implemented at the Slutsk Cheese Factory. These are primarily related to increasing the production of its own MILK, milk protein concentrate, and long-ripening cheeses, for which new ripening chambers are being built. One of the plant's key innovative projects is lactoferrin production. The company began implementing it back in 2023, when a business plan was developed and preliminary design work was completed. Construction of a site for this project is currently underway at the plant. It is expected to be a fully-fledged new production line for this product. The plant processes approximately 3,350 tons of milk daily.  "The government fully supports such projects, including through our banking system, the Development Bank. It is already clear where the plant should go next. It has potential," he noted.  The next plant on the Prime Minister's schedule is the Slutsk Meat Processing Plant. "This enterprise recently became part of the Dzerzhinsky agro-industrial complex. And today, again, we see prospects for its development, including access to more significant EXPORT markets in both our neighboring countries and those of distant countries," he said.



Alexander Turchin also noted that he was interested in pricing policies that are most relevant to Belarusians. "While visiting the factories, I was convinced that the decision made by the government back in April was the right one. As a reminder, it was designed to allow our domestic producers to raise prices to the profitability they had achieved over the previous three years. We see that the profitability level for whole-milk products at the Slutsk Cheese Factory is approximately 6%. At the meat processing plant, it's no more than 10%. This is a responsible approach by our producers. They raised prices to the lowest possible level, allowing them to operate profitably. At the same time, profitability must be sufficient to support large-scale investment projects," Alexander Turchin emphasized. 
The head of government added that production facilities in smaller towns and villages are not being closed. For example, the Slutsk Cheese Factory's cheese production facility in Kholopenichi, Krupki District. "We understand that if we close it, there simply won't be any other work for the people who live there. And this will affect the development of the village as a whole. Therefore, it's a conscious decision that such enterprises remain in small towns and in district centers. Often, for a small district center, for example, Kletsk, this branch is the city-forming enterprise. About 500 people work there, and they receive very good wages by district center standards. This is not only about the economy , but also about social stability and the social responsibility of enterprise managers. If we talk, for example, about the Dzerzhinsky agro-industrial complex – the largest agro-industrial holding, whose enterprises are probably located in almost all districts of the MINSK region. I am confident that it will soon begin to scale beyond the Minsk region," the prime minister noted. "When the economy is built correctly, it is precisely at these volumes that the maximum economic effect is achieved. The key point is economic efficiency. It should be in everything." Photo by Sergei Sheleg