Visit to Orsha Linen Mill

During the visit to the Orsha Linen Mill on 13 November, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko reviewed the enterprise’s development prospects and inaugurated a new production line.

A production line manufacturing high-count ring-spun yarn with cottonized flax fiber blends has been launched. The implementation of this project will enable the launch of new product lines.

The president heard a report on the development of the Orsha Linen Mill. The enterprise has reached an export volume of $100 million, fulfilled the instruction to master the deep processing of short flax fiber, pays great attention to quality, and has been operating exclusively on domestic flax fiber for several years now.

“Our main task is to ensure high-quality raw materials,” the Belarusian leader noted.

Whereas previously short flax fiber was sold exclusively for export, it is now processed in Belarus. Aleksandr Lukashenko set the task of processing 100% of short flax fiber by 2030. To fulfill this instruction, the possibility of allocating an additional loan to the enterprise for capacity expansion is being discussed.

“I need you to take it [referring to short flax fiber] from the farmers and process it. That is what concerns me. It turns out you have learned how to work wonders with it. I need twice as many wonders next year. By 2030, I want us to process all of it. That is what I want. This must be placed under ironclad control,” the head of state instructed.

The Orsha Linen Mill is also considering further modernization in the coming years. This includes, for example, the introduction of state-of-the-art dyeing technology.

Equipment for the mill is mostly imported. Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled that he had previously instructed the industrial sector to learn how to manufacture at least part of this machinery. The head of state reiterated the relevant tasks, instructing Director General Oleg Buyanov to prepare a list of the most in-demand components and assemblies that could be import-substituted.

Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled that preserving the Orsha Linen Mill was once his own resolute decision. Moreover, the head of state has a personal family connection to the plant, as his mother, Yekaterina Trofimovna, once worked at the linen mill.

“This is a very important enterprise for me,” he emphasized.

Currently, France and Belgium rank alongside Belarus as Europe’s major flax producers. Unlike them, Belarus maintains the entire production chain: from growing the crop in the field to producing high-quality finished goods. “With such an approach in the West, soon we will be the only ones left,” the Belarusian leader noted.

“You know my approaches. There is no need to tear anything down. If we know how to do something, we need to develop and improve it. We must create new things, something we have not done before. However, we need to have people who will learn this and do it. Therefore, it is better to improve without ruining or destroying anything,” Aleksandr Lukashenko told the enterprise’s workers during the launch of the new line.

The head of state also emphasized that any given project should be implemented within the shortest possible timeframe.

During his visit to the Orsha Linen Mill, Aleksandr Lukashenko was shown an exhibition of products manufactured by enterprises of the Belarusian state light industry concern Bellegprom. These include not only casual clothing and home textiles, but also products for security and law enforcement agencies: combat and dress uniforms, gear, personal protective equipment, and workwear.

In recent years, domestic manufacturers have achieved serious success in import substitution and the creation of their own unique products across many areas. Among the latest product developments is a linen-cashmere blend fabric, with cashmere supplies secured under an agreement with Mongolia.

Aleksandr Lukashenko instructed officials to take advantage of this and supply more in-demand products to the domestic market, avoiding purchasing abroad what Belarus has already mastered producing.

The present and future of the domestic flax industry became the topic of a meeting held by Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko at the Orsha Linen Mill.

“For Belarus, flax is not merely a strategic crop, but a political one. Look at our national coat of arms,” the head of state said. “It is a vital part of our cultural and historical heritage, one of our national symbols, and a major segment of our economy. One might say it is our gold alongside timber and potash.” He added that Belarus has a favorable climate for cultivating the crop.

“Today, Belarus is among the top three global leaders in cultivating ‘northern silk,’ together with France and Belgium. That is the kind of modern ‘flax Normandie-Neman we have,’” the president said figuratively. Belarusian flax products are currently exported to 43 countries worldwide.

“However, the potential of our domestic industry is far from untapped,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said confidently. “Flax is a unique crop that, when managed properly, is virtually zero-waste. It is used in the textile, food, chemical, construction, and defense industries, as well as in medicine. Choosing linen is a major contribution to environmental sustainability and to safeguarding both personal and family health.” In this regard, the head of state urged everyone to make wider use of linen fabrics and products in everyday life.

The president noted that since gaining independence, the Belarusian state has paid heightened attention to the flax industry. After the collapse of the USSR, many collective and state farms abandoned flax cultivation, as it was very arduous labor and yields were modest. “If the state had not helped rural workers back then, there would be no flax left in Belarus today,” he added.

Aleksandr Lukashenko recalled visiting the Orsha Linen Mill at the beginning of his presidency, noting that back then it was an enterprise of a completely different level. Over the past years, the state has invested huge funds into the flax industry. This includes harvesting machinery, the modernization of flax mills, the development of cultivation technologies, and scientific support.

“An important point for me is that we are no longer discussing the survival of the flax industry, but rather talking about its development across the entire value-added chain,” the Belarusian leader emphasized.

Aleksandr Lukashenko outlined key issues and set long-term goals for the industry.

“This is already the third or fourth major discussion with the president on flax industry issues, and it will be the last one held in this vein,” the Belarusian leader noted. “As I said publicly in Shklov, the president already has plenty of other issues to deal with.”

“It looks like yet another government and the governors are failing to meet previously assumed commitments and plan to come cap in hand once again. Forget it and put those reckless thoughts out of your heads,” the head of state added.

Aleksandr Lukashenko outlined several of the most pressing issues and set the priorities. “The main thing remains unchanged: the raw material base in the country has been formed, and the key vector for the future must be the production of high-value-added goods. This requires deep processing of raw materials. It is necessary to strengthen the competitiveness of the flax industry and increase revenues from flax cultivation and processing across the entire chain – from farmers to industrialists,” the president emphasized.

Among the first problems, the head of state cited non-compliance with technological regulations, primarily regarding soil selection and cultivation. Land plots are allocated for only one year, and they are often unsuitable for growing flax in terms of soil acidity and humus content. In this regard, the head of state tasked the chairmen of the regional executive committees with identifying suitable soil plots for flax sowing over the winter.

“Furthermore, this year’s target for sown areas was not met, with over 6,500 hectares left unsown. How could that happen?” the president asked. “You yourselves set these targets for yourselves! Why weren’t they fulfilled?”

The head of state cited several more facts. At some farms, instead of the prescribed 10 days, flax sowing dragged on for more than 20 days, and disease control treatments were not carried out at all. Flax pulling took over a month, and at the Slutsk Flax Mill – nearly a month and a half. Lifting of flax straw there was completed only on 2 October. “What kind of raw material quality can we talk about after such violations of technology?” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

The Shklov Flax Mill was also mentioned, where, according to oversight bodies, the flax was not turned. “I remember that in mid-September, rotten flax overgrown with weeds was lying in the fields there. And right before my arrival, they supposedly pulled it... You are ruining your own harvest and your own money, and then you come cap in hand asking for budget allocations. The free ride is over this year,” the president emphasized.

The yield of flax straw this year stood at 40.5 centners per hectare, with an average flax straw quality grade of 0.87, whereas last year the yield was 46 centners per hectare and the average quality grade was 0.97. “I remember my time working as a director [of an agricultural enterprise], when I used to travel to the Shklov Flax Mill to deliver flax and fought for a flax straw quality grade of 2. A grade of 1.5 was not great. Yet today, you bring in flax straw with a grade below 1 and celebrate!” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

“In our plans for 2027, we are falling into the very same trap: certain selected lands are poorly suited for growing flax, and straw has still not been cleared from some of them. In this regard, I have a legitimate question for the government and regional executive committees: what is preventing us from sowing flax and lifting flax straw within the established deadlines?” the head of state said.

Another problematic aspect mentioned by the president is the implementation of investment projects. According to him, the modernization of flax mills is progressing sluggishly.

The production of domestic self-propelled machinery has also not been established. Due to a shortage of special storage sheds, about 20% of flax straw is stored annually simply in ricks. There, as a rule, the wrapping is damaged, and the baled flax straw becomes damp and unsuitable for processing.

“For example, at the Slutsk Flax Mill in 2025, 16,000 tonnes of flax straw were spoiled! What kind of flax fiber quality can we expect to get if the flax straw throughput on the production line at the Shklov Flax Mill stands at 60%?” the head of state pointed out.

Pricing was also among the issues the president demanded closer attention to. According to him, 80% of flax fiber is supplied to the Orsha Linen Mill and the Gronitex enterprise at prices 20% below domestic market rates, effectively subsidized by the state budget, and up to 60% lower than export prices.

“The difference between market prices and state procurement delivery prices is from 20% to 46% lower. On top of that, the cost of flax fiber under state procurement is subsidized by more than 10%. How can anyone make sense of such economics? Who needs it, and what does it incentivize? Such a disparity creates conditions for taking raw flax out of Belarus. Another question is: who permitted its export?” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized. He pointed out that producers were not always the final exporters, even though they were the ones who grew the flax. “Private traders buy up the raw materials and then export them via the commodity exchange at roughly 40% higher prices. Cannot we process the flax fiber ourselves, sell finished products at normal market value, and earn extra money for that very same modernization?” the president asked.

Aleksandr Lukashenko placed a separate emphasis on improving the operational efficiency of the Orsha Linen Mill – the largest light industry enterprise in the country, employing around 3,500 people. Tens of millions of dollars have been invested in the enterprise, and raw materials are subsidized by the state. “In other words, you are currently making a profit. However, this is due to the granted benefits, preferences, and subsidies to reduce the cost of flax fiber. Would you have made a profit without this support?” the head of state inquired.

However, even with state support, the linen mill’s economic performance leaves much to be desired: exports are declining, warehouse inventories are growing, and there are overdue payments.

“What is utterly outrageous is that on top of all this, they are also stealing! According to a report from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, criminal cases were opened in 2026 against employees of the Orsha Linen Mill: operating as part of an organized group, they stole yarn worth nearly Br54,000 and over 1,000 liters of fuel!” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

“If Orsha [the Orsha Linen Mill] is struggling to stay afloat on its own (the figures and facts have been cited), how will it also cope with the annexed Baranovichi Cotton Production Association (which was merged into it in February 2024)?” the head of state asked. According to the president, when carrying out the restructuring, the leadership of the Belarusian state light industry concern Bellegprom claimed that this would make it possible to pursue a unified sales policy, stabilize finances, and allocate funds for modernization.

“The current deputy prime minister [Viktor Karankevich] cheerfully reports that the merger idea is right and everything is going well. Be careful that it does not turn out like the Vitebsk agro-industrial associations [several years after their creation, it was decided to disband some of them due to ineffective performance]. Otherwise, we will neither save Baranovichi nor keep Orsha,” the president said. He demanded that the leadership of the State Control Committee ensure ironclad oversight over this issue.

Another unresolved problem highlighted by the head of state concerns the depth of processing. As before, the main product made from short raw material is so-called raw cottonized flax fiber (a single-stage semi-finished product). Almost all of it is exported as a raw material. At the same time, blended yarn manufactured using that very same cottonized flax fiber is imported into the country.

In Jsnusry-September 2026, Belarus exported almost $40 million worth of linen fabrics (nearly 2% less than in the corresponding period of 2025) and $1.3 million worth of linen yarn (down 11.5%).

At the same time, Belarus imported more than $2 million worth of linen fabrics (18% more than last year), $2.6 million worth of flax fiber (up 20%), and $2.3 million worth of linen yarn (a sixfold increase).

The president noted that even after the launch of new production of similar domestic yarn, less than 23% of short flax fiber will undergo deep processing.

The head of state also pointed to the role of Belarusian science in the development of flax growing. He inquired how the work of the Institute of Flax of the National Academy of Sciences has changed following previous criticism directed at it, and how much of a breakthrough they have made in technology. “Will we be able to produce high-count yarn from low-grade flax fiber? Are scientists working on this, or is this exclusively the problem of processors?” Aleksandr Lukashenko asked.