MINSK, 13 March (BelTA) – The export of services by companies residing in the Hi-Tech Park in Belarus rose by 31% in 2014, BelTA learned from Valery Tsepkalo, Director of the Hi-Tech Park Administration.

In 2014 resident companies of the Hi-Tech Park exported $585.2 million worth of services, 131% as against 2013. Export accounted for 88% of the HTP's total production. "Across the country we secured a 44% increase in the export of services in the balance of payments in 2014," stressed Valery Tsepkalo.

The Hi-Tech Park catered to customers in 56 countries across the globe. Western Europe accounted for 43.5% of the total export, with the USA share at 40.1% and the CIS share at 14.4%. For the first time HTP residents exported their services to Indonesia, Jordan, and the Dominican Republic.

Speaking about results of the year, the official said that in 2014 resident companies of the Hi-Tech Park produced and sold Br6.96 trillion worth of services and merchandise, 147% as against 2013 (126% taking into account changes of the exchange rate of the U.S. dollar and the GDP deflator). HTP resident companies take an active part in the implementation of major science-intensive projects and the modernization of the Belarusian production sector. In 2014 earnings from selling services, rights to intellectual property on the home market totaled Br839.1 billion, 16.6% up from 2013.

In 2014 Belarus' Hi-Tech Park attracted $34.3 million in foreign direct investments on a net basis.

At present Belarus' Hi-Tech Park is home to 137 companies. In 2014 as many as 12 companies were registered as residents of the Hi-Tech Park. As many as 58 companies (42% of the total) have been founded by Belarusian investors, 46 companies (34%) have been founded by foreign investors, and 33 companies (24%) are joint ventures. As of 1 January 2015 over 20,000 people worked in Belarus' Hi-Tech Park. In 2014 as many as 2,957 jobs were created.