Import substitution will be in Russia

At the country level questions of import substitution in Russia are raised for a long time. However, sanctions imposed against Russia by western countries gave an impulse for its realization. By import substitution is meant replacement on the Russian market of foreign made goods by national ones. According to experts, in several industries import makes considerable proportion, for example, in the machine-tool industry dependence of import deliveries is 90%, in radio electronics – 85%, in the civil aircraft industry more than 80% components are imported. The situation in other industries is presented in table 1.

At the beginning of 2014 measures on the import substitution were reflected in the approved new edition of the Government program of the RF «Development of manufacturing industry and improvement of its competitiveness» (decision from April 15, 2014 №328). Later President of the RF signed the list of instructions of additional measures on economic growth stimulation, and on the import substitution in manufacturing industry and agriculture. In this case the Government prepared the Assistance Plan of import substitution in industry, and in the end of 2014 approved the program of the import substitution in agriculture.

Moreover, in autumn of 2014 the Government approved the investors support program, according to that financing for the import substitution support is made by means of subsidies and co-financing of researches. It involves manufacturing industry, chemical industry, machine-tool industry, housing construction, transport, communications and data telecommunications, electric power and agriculture industry.

In April of 2015 for the benefit of January crisis bailout plan realization the involved governmental agencies developed 19 industrial import substitution programs for the next few years. According to the programs, import substitution measures will be taken in pharmaceutical industry, heavy engineering industry, aircraft, ship construction industry and software industry. It is believed that to the year 2020 realization of the above mentioned programs will shorten dependence on imports, e.g., in machine-tool industry from the current 90% to 40%.

The results of practical work are shown by opening of the Import substitution and localization center in Saint-Petersburg. This center is considered by specialists as place for promotion of the Russian companies`production. Among other tasks: exhibitions, arising of demand and offer for national products, relevant marketing services, implementation of new collaboration forms, for example, cluster agreement.

It is believed that today national manufacturer has a possibility to use the obstacle that Russian regions and states of the former Soviet Union can share of import substitution experience, demonstrate potential, place queries for the interested equipment. The Centre plans development of information system that will include data of the deliveries that the enterprises want to replace with national equivalents.