OREANDA-NEWS. On 28 January 2009 was announced, that unsold stocks of finished commodities have hiked, while proceeds and profits of Belarusian companies have plummeted amid the global economic crisis, the chairman of the National Statistics Committee, Vladimir Zinovsky, told a session of the republican club of directors.

Zinovsky admitted there were problems with sales. Stocks of polyethylene rose 94 times in October-December, potash fertilizer stocks hiked 21 times, ferrous metal stocks 7.5 times, and truck and tractor stocks doubled.

Monthly proceeds fell 28% in August-November, and sales profits in November were only 20% of the July level.

Return on sales was down to 5.1% in November from 19.9% in July.

Net profit also fell significantly since August 2008. In November, net profits of Belarusian companies were only 8.2% of the July level.

Net loss of 289 industrial companies doubled to 328.3 billion Belarusian rubles (Br) in January-November 2008. Another 138 companies were on the verge of insolvency.

As of December 1, 2008, 80 industrial companies had overdue receivables, and 69 had overdue payables.

Exports to Russia fell 33% in October-November, and imports were down 11%; average contract prices decreased 10%, and import prices fell 28%.

According to Deputy Economy Ministry Andrei Tur, consumer prices rose 2.8% in the first week of January alone.