In the Novogrudsky District, the focus has been placed on developing industry, agriculture, and tourism.

Novogrudsky District is an important industrial center of the Grodno Region and of Belarus as a whole. Here, enterprises operate successfully, supplying the country with metal structures, gas cylinders, business suits, cheeses, and other in-demand products. Agricultural organizations are also firmly established, increasing meat and milk production volumes and serving as a stable raw material zone for processors. Moreover, Novogrudok is one of the oldest cities in Belarus. The unique Lake Svityaz, the ancient castle, the Adam Mickiewicz house‑museum, and historic estates all attract thousands of tourists to the district.

Chairman of the Novogrudsky District Executive Committee, Sergey Charkovsky, spoke about the district's socio‑economic development.

• Sergey Sergeyevich, what makes the district notable in economic terms?

– We consider ourselves an industrial district with a developed agricultural sector, where agriculture accounts for 14 percent of our gross production. Our branded enterprises include the JSC “Novogrudsky Gas Equipment Plant,” “Novogrudsky Metal Products Plant,” “Novogrudsky Gifts,” “Novogrudsky Bread Factory,” private food production companies “Leor Plastic” and others. We are very proud of our small business, which holds leading positions in the local consumer market and competes with large chain retailers.

• What are the funds invested in, and what projects are being implemented in the district?

– Five major investment projects in the industrial and agricultural production sectors are planned for the next five years. Some involve modernizing existing enterprises, addressing labor shortages, plans for automation, and wage increases. Among the main projects is the construction of a large pig‑growing complex for 54,000 heads, creating 70 new jobs near the agrarian town of Benin. A site has already been selected, design and cost documentation is being

– We take the President’s directive to increase tourism’s contribution to the national economy very seriously. By the end of this year we plan to reach 3 percent of GDP from this sector, and by the end of the five‑year plan – up to 7.5 percent. We have all the prerequisites for that. In 2025 we hosted about 72,000 guests, and those are only the figures that could actually be counted. Therefore our main task is to encourage people to stay overnight, offer medical and beauty services, branded routes and event festivals. Currently we are actively working on expanding the accommodation stock and are ready to launch several hotels. By the end of this year two hospitality facilities with up to 115 beds are scheduled to open. We will also work on service accessibility, organizing camps and tent cities.

Iron Character

The JSC “Novogrudsky Metal Products Plant” is the oldest enterprise in the city. In 1944 it was established as the industrial center of the district. Today, on a 5.5‑hectare site inherited from Soviet times, about 160 people work around the clock. Their efforts produce metal furniture for enterprises, archives, medical institutions, shelving, fences and enclosures, construction metal structures, buildings and facilities.

Vadim Zharok, CNC machine operator at JSC “Novogrudsky Metal Products Plant”.

– Last year we received a certificate to produce medical furniture and now we are actively meeting the needs of various clinics and medical institutions. One of the largest orders in recent times was for the Grodno Regional Clinical Hospital, for which more than 2,000 cabinets were supplied before its opening. We are now working on the implementation of the largest project to produce mobile and stationary metal shelving for the newly built State Archive in Minsk. In total, about 1,500 units need to be assembled, and to give a sense of scale – that’s roughly three floors covering an area the size of a football field. We continue to work closely with budget organizations from a wide range of sectors.

Vitali Yarosh notes that thanks to the presidential initiative “One District – One Project” a new workshop was built, a significant portion of the technological equipment was upgraded, and production volumes have grown.

– We have so many orders that we cannot fulfill all of them, which is why we have decided to take a course towards robotizing production, – the director shares. – This year, we acquired two robotized cells, which are currently operating in a startup and commissioning mode. We plan to purchase three more such complexes, which will allow us to launch a specialized section where we can produce various modifications of metal structures depending on the needs. The salary is one of the highest in the district, and for the first six months, it amounted to 3100 rubles.

Robots assist humans

The Novogrudsky Factory of Gas Equipment Open Joint-Stock Company has long been known throughout the CIS as a reliable manufacturer. The enterprise produces household gas cylinders, shut-off and pressure-reducing equipment, safety automation, and components for gas stoves and water heaters.

The company reported:

– We are at the peak of development, but we continue to move forward persistently. It is essential to understand that the automation and robotization of production began at the enterprise about 20 years ago. In the 2010s, the first robotized line for producing household cylinders with a capacity of 5, 12, and 27 liters was installed. It operated continuously until 2022, when another one was purchased to assist it. In 2015, we mastered the production of new types of automotive toroidal cylinders, the demand for which exceeds our capabilities. We plan to increase the production of this type of product by installing new equipment.

In early 2027, we plan to launch another robotized line for assembling shut-off and pressure-reducing equipment, the development of which is already being carried out by Chinese specialists.