Mr Menyailo said that despite the electricity restrictions the region has suffered, investment rate growth was higher than the national average over the first quarter of 2016, according to data from Rosstat, the national statistics agency. To date, the free economic zone has registered 151 residents and has received another 71 applications. Total investment in the region comes to slightly more than 18 billion rubles.
Work is in progress on building an industrial park. Sixteen companies have already expressed a wish to work in the park, including ten local companies involved in import substitution, machine-tool building, and high-tech production.
The industrial output index for the first five months of 2016 came to 141 percent, up 30 percent on the 2015 result.
Development is underway in the agriculture sector. Last year, 150 hectares of vineyards were planted at a local state-owned agricultural enterprise, and 73 hectares of vineyards have been planted so far this year.