How Brest Region Turned from an "Industrialization Victim" into the Country's Industrial Leader
Brest Region became the only region in Belarus where the volume of industrial production grew in the first two months of 2026. This moment is symbolic and historical. It is the only region in Belarus without GDP-forming ex-Soviet enterprises. Its industry is dominated by private business, which has fostered itself. And today, against the backdrop of the collapse of the Russian market and problems in the global economy, it once again shows, including to the country's authorities, who is truly competitive in the Belarusian economy, writes "Plan B".
Photo: "Zarа"
"Gigantic" Minus
Giants without Russia in the country's scale have "minused" by 3.7% in two months. Brest Region without giants has "plused" by 3.8%, further approaching Gomel Region and Minsk in terms of gross production. And this is not a one-time and accidental plus.
According to the results of a similarly difficult 2025, Brest Region became one of three regions (after Grodno and before Minsk) where industrial production grew, despite an overall minus for the country. Specifically, it grew by 0.9% compared to 2024.
According to the results of January this year, Brest Region was already one of two regions with industrial growth (after Grodno Region). The plus was quite good - 5.5%. And now, according to the results of January-February, when either Armuz, or reconstruction, or something else hit "Grodno Azot" among its neighbors, Brest Region is the only one with industrial growth in the country.
"Victim of Industrialization"
Back in the 1990s, Brest Region was unofficially called the "victim of industrialization". The first industrialization program in the history of Belarus, which took place in the 1930s, did not affect it "at all". It did not affect it because, at that time, it was territorially part of Poland. Warsaw did not think of such programs and did not interfere with the natural course of things, where private business relied on local raw material resources – timber processing in Pinsk and canned goods production in Baranovichi.
Surprisingly, subsequent waves of industrialization in the BSSR (including the most massive in the 1960s-1970s) generally bypassed Brest Region. They gave MAZ and MTZ to Minsk. Mozyr Oil Refinery and BMZ to Gomel Region. "Belaruskali" and BelAZ to Minsk Region. "Khimvolokno" and "Belshina" to Mogilev Region. "Naftan" went to Vitebsk Region, and "Grodno Azot" to Grodno Region.
During Soviet times, the electrical engineering plant and "Tsvetotron" built there held some importance in Brest Region. But only during the Soviet era. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, without military orders from the USSR Ministry of Defense, they turned into dwarfs within months.
Therefore, during the years of independence, when forming plans for industrial growth and especially their implementation, the government and their colleagues looked condescendingly at the governors of Brest Region. As at "victims of industrialization". This was the case under Sidorski and Myasnikovich. To a lesser extent, perhaps, but it was also the case under Kobyakov and Rumas. "You sit there with your farmers and their cucumbers and strawberries".
By the way, there are more farmers in Brest Region than in other regions.
The Field Turned Green
The leniency in the Council of Ministers' offices decreased as Brest's greenfield projects began to yield results. Small factories and plants, which engineers, foremen, and supply managers who had lost their jobs at local semi-giants opened at their own risk in the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. They built them relying solely on their own strength and capabilities.
And as a result, they built what creates dynamism in any economy in the world – unique productions. They created regional, and in some places, global leaders.
This is "Santa Bremor," which appeared from scratch in a landlocked country. This is "Savushkin Product." Not new, but the first in the country to be rebuilt and transitioned to market rails thanks to private capital, and therefore became No.1 in the market. These are regional leaders in mushroom cultivation with affiliated capacities for producing mycelium under their "Bonshe" and "BTV-Agro". And also – the international business for producing machines, equipment, and materials for road marking "STiM" with factories in Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Poland, and Germany.
This is the only domestic company that produces plant protection products, "Frondeza." And the toy monster "PP Polesie," which was not afraid to challenge even the Chinese and bought and opened factories in Europe, Russia, Turkey, and Uzbekistan.
This is the technological giant "E100," third in the European Union fuel card market (where it ultimately moved completely after 2022).
This is the Brest sewing hub and a similar, but furniture, hub in Baranovichi with the ubiquitous "Laguna".
Industrial leaders of the region were previously bought up by world-class concerns — Swiss Sika, Caparol, and Polish neighbors. Now Russians are buying them.
The money received from these deals, Brest businesses invested and are investing in real estate, hotels, and medical centers.