Farid Mukhametshin: ‘We are now focusing on where to sell the products we make in Tatarstan’
Tatarstan is actively looking for new markets because “Europe closed,” claimed Chairman of the Tatarstan State Council Farid Mukhametshin at a meeting with editors-in-chief of Tatarstan mass media dedicated to the Press Day in the republic. According to him, now it is necessary to be friends with the Islamic world. Read more in Realnoe Vremya’s report.
339 printed papers, 205 online newspapers, 60 TV channels
According to the Russian watchdog for communication affairs in Tatarstan, there were 678 mass media headquartered in the republic as of early 2024:
“Imagine how big and prepared army of mass media workers we have in our republic. I think it cannot be otherwise in a multi-ethnic republic with a huge economy. We do it despite everything,” Mukhametshin stressed. “We have always paid great attention to the work with mass media. You are our guides, you are our eyes and ears.”
“Production rose by 3.3% in 2023”
He separately touched upon economic indicators of the republic. According to the speaker of the Tatarstan State Council, the sanctions affected the economy but it withstood. Despite the restrictions, production rose by 3.3% in 2023. The republic continues producing passenger planes, helicopters and ships, moreover, not only for the needs of Russia but also for other countries.
“We produce oil, we process oil. We used to produce up to 100 million tonnes of oil, while we didn’t have processing, we used to send everything to neighbouring regions. They processed and sold it, including to us, at a price that’s 2-3 times higher, it is petrol, kerosene, oils and other products,” claimed Mukhametshin. He stressed that the republic also provides itself with its own energy resources.
He also voiced other results of 2023 for Tatarstan. Gross regional product was over 4 trillion rubles, which is 6th position in Russia. Oil production was more than 35 million tonnes. Also, the republic finished 5th in agriculture and 1st in gross milk production in the country. Investments in Tatarstan exceeded 1.1 trillion rubles.
Another important task now is to set up markets.
“Now we are focusing on where to sell the products made in Tatarstan. Europe closed, shrank and we cannot cooperate there due to different circumstance for their reasons. [Tatarstan Rais] Mr Minnikhanov is travelling to Asian and Arab countries for this purpose, establishing contracts,” said Mukhametshin.