In their speeches at the major parliamentary hearings "On the Development of Light Industry Branches in the Russian Federation," the leaders of the State Duma's political factions outlined the factors currently hindering the sector's growth: dependence on imported raw materials and the tax burden.
"Parliamentary hearings provide an opportunity to develop real legislative solutions. The most important thing, as our Speaker [of the State Duma] says, is to change ourselves. Each of you is an example of how we achieved results," noted Vladimir Vasiliev , leader of the United Russia faction .
He assured that the faction would consider all the proposals raised during the hearings. "Our conversation today will continue," Vladimir Vasiliev said.
"Small and medium-sized businesses require real support," said Gennady Zyuganov, leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation ( CPRF) faction. "They are almost entirely dependent on imported raw materials and equipment." "Can't we really make our own buttons and other things? We've learned to make super-machines and equipment. This is a solvable problem, but I think it needs to be addressed in a planned manner," he added.
Gennady Zyuganov also discussed subsidizing school uniforms, which are currently only available to elementary school students. "Let's make a decision to ensure all children receive this support, because a child should look aesthetically pleasing, beautiful, and dignified," he urged.
For his part, LDPR faction leader Leonid Slutsky also pointed out the problem of raw material and technological dependence. "Unfortunately, up to 80% of raw materials are still imported, making production dependent on external supplies. There's practically very little equipment produced for the light industry in Russia, which impacts production costs and stability," he stated.
"Secondly, the high cost of production. Sewing in Russia is often more expensive than in Uzbekistan or Kyrgyzstan, even taking logistics into account," Leonid Slutsky continued. He added that one of the reasons is persistently high social security contributions. Furthermore, he concluded, it is necessary to combat gray imports, dumping, and counterfeiting in the domestic market.
"The clothing and footwear industry is considered one of the industries with the highest financial risks. Due to high bank interest rates, many small companies are switching from manufacturing to retail. Retailing is easier and more profitable than manufacturing," said Sergei Mironov, head of the A Just Russia faction .
According to him, "the textile and light industry is developing rapidly only in those countries that have their own raw materials, so it's difficult to expect significant changes while the industry remains overly dependent on imported supplies." "It's funny to say: we practically don't produce our own buttons and zippers. Well, yes, we can launch [a rocket] into space, but we can't make such trivial things ourselves," concluded Sergei Mironov.
Alexey Nechayev, leader of the New People faction, also highlighted issues such as the industry's dependence on imports and the fiscal burden. "Our logic, at New People, is simple. If we remove the accumulated restrictions and focus on development, the overall contribution of light industry to the country's GDP could be higher, and its share of employment could also increase. I believe we need to clear the market for our domestic producers. For many countries, this kind of smart protectionism, and any economic protectionism, is the norm," he said.
Alexey Nechayev also once again advocated for the introduction of higher duties on products from unfriendly countries that have begun importing them into Russia via Asian countries.
