Investment potential of the Altai territory became the subject of discussion in the Association of European Businesses visited by the delegation of the region headed by Governor Alexander Karlin. The region was represented by the Governor, Yury Zakharov (head of the Altai region for tourism, resort, interregional and international relations), Tatiana Zelenina (head of the Altai territory of food manufacturing, processing and pharmaceutical industry and biotechnology) and also by businessmen S. Kedik (Rubtsovsky factory of spare parts) and V. Herman (AZPI)
In 2014, aiming at attracting investment and business to the region, the Governor signed the “Investment Declaration of the Altai territory”, which proclaimed a favorable investment environment as follows: equal opportunity activities, participation in the preparation of legislative solutions, transparency of information and implementation of best practices of work with investors.
In Altai Krai now live 2.4 million people (1.6% of the Russian population), but it occupies the 4th place in Russia by number of municipalities. This is one of the 5 regions with minimal debt to the state. Region with a developed scientific system (over 40 organizations), industry, tourist infrastructure and food production, shows interest in the improvement of regional high-tech industries. In 2015, it is implemented the state program “Economic development and innovative economy” of the Altai territory.
Investment in industry of Altai
Industrial production in the Altai region has an old tradition. Since the beginning of the XVIII century there are pockets of the mining industry, substantiates of the Demidov industrialist dynasty. Then gold mining was developed. With the XX century, since the reforms of P. A. Stolypin, here comes the agricultural production. In 2016 the regional industry employs more than 6’000 companies, the share of the manufacturing sector is 83%.
“Resources, even the wealthy tend to be an exhaustive… Tomorrow is time for the creation of modern industries,” – said the Governor.
Many things in the region have already been made in order to improve the investment climate. Using the cluster approach (concentrations of interconnected industries, industrial areas – approx. ed) associated with the development of engineering and Biopharmaceuticals. In particular, A. Karlin drew attention to the development of monocities, first of all, Zarinsk and Novoaltaisk.
Zarinsk has already started implementation of the project of the leather cluster, supplying haberdashery, footwear, and furniture production.
In Novoaltaisk there are “perfect logistics opportunities”, according to the Governor, “everything works for the needs of the region”, for the provision of retail network in Western Siberia. It is planned to start production of Biopharmaceuticals, the project of deep processing of grain and sugar beet. The project for the development of Biopharmaceuticals is called the “Altai biopharmaceutical cluster”.
As for the food industry, the Altai ranks first in Russia for production of flour and cheese, and it’s the only one in the country which produces sugar from local raw materials. “We have a robot cheesemaking. It is 30 km from Barnaul to Tret’yaki. His name is Gregory”, – said Alexander Karlin.
Promising investment areas are following: agriculture, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, agricultural machinery and energy, construction, baby products, roadside service and hotel business.
Investments in tourism infrastructure of Altai
Altai territory, environmentally friendly recreation area, which was visited by more than 1’900’000 persons in 2015 and in 2016 it will host more than 2 million tourists. Both Russians and foreigners come here, including many Germans.
The resort features the region are recognized in Russia and abroad. There are mineral water and dirt, herbal medicines, healthy food and air. For 2016 tourism employs about 1’000 enterprises of the region, total of 43 of the sanatorium with mud. Deep traditions and sports tourism are also seen in the region. The so-called “event-tours” are popular too: trips “Altai wintering” on ice-Swan lake, Ultifast on the “Siberian farmstead” cheese holidays, and so on.
“Belokuriha-2” has repeatedly declared the best resort of Federal significance.
On the territory of Altai territory today following projects are launched: a tourist and recreational zone “Biryuzovaya Katun”, the gambling zone “Siberian coin”, “Belokurikha-2” and “Barnaul-mining district”, autoturisme cluster “Golden gates”. The formation of a network of tourist and recreational clusters takes place in the framework of two projects: “Small Golden ring of Altai” and “the Big Golden ring of Altai”.
The region awaits projects, hotels, wellness centers. “The investor will have a lot of respect – said Zakharov – We can offer him all of the mechanisms, and even more”.
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The overall impression of the presentation of the region is very good. Altai appeared not only in his familiar “environmentally-friendly” look, but also acquired the value of a dynamically developing industrial center, whose leadership aims at transforming it into an innovative center of industrial production, pursuing a conscious policy of development, caring about the wellbeing of its residents. And it is open to suggestions of good projects.
Source: Association of European Businesses
