Lukashenka Gave Tapuzidis To Keep All Rural Trade?

Are private supermarkets to replace Belkaopsayuz village shops?

On September 8, Lukashenka proposed Chairman of the Tabak-Invest Board of Directors Pavel Tapuzidis to build his stores in rural areas and regional centers, Your Country’s Tomorrow writes.

– I wouldn't say that we want to replace all the Belkaopsayuz trade – we need competition to see the real picture. And then I asked you to structure such a service network in one of the Belarusian regions. And you told me that the prices there would be definitely lower than in the existing shops. It impressed me, – Lukashenka addressed to Tapuzidis.

At the same time, he stressed that, in case of success, a similar scheme could be used nationwide subsequently.

Later it became known that Tapuzidis started to build the first supermarket in Shklou.

Marhelau: it might happen that there will be Karona stores in two major agricultural towns, and the rest of the villages will stay without bread

Co-chairman of the Republican Confederation of Entrepreneurship Viktar Marhelau considers that the competition in the rural trade is a positive factor. But at that, he questions the demand for the "Minsk" range of products in the village shops:

– It’s a big question – is there consumers' demand in particular agro-towns in deed and not in name?

According to Marhelau, it will be difficult for the state trade to compete with the corporate business of Tapuzidis.

– Belkaopsayuz is in a difficult situation. Obviously, it will go away in those agro-towns, where Karona stores are being built. Nevertheless, Belkaopsayuz has plans to reformat and work where there are opportunities, – Viktar Marhelau says.

He warns of the possible consequences of Tapuzidis’ stores’ expansion:

– It might happen that there will be Karona stores in two major agricultural towns, and the rest of the villages will stay without bread. Belkaopsayuz will not run unprofitable mobile shops in small villages.

According to the expert, to avoid such situations, the issue of creating a new trade network in rural areas is to be solved complexly, weighing all the "pros" and "cons".