Tomsk cluster of renewable natural resources became a tool for development of companies
"The creation of the first cluster in Russia became an important starting element in transformation of sphere of natural economy into a full-fledged sector of the economy. It is very important to have a consolidated position of business, science and government. The first results showed positive dynamics in the forestry, hunting, fisheries industry, wild plants, but also found out problems that require adjustments in the work of the cluster, "said Andrei Knorr, Deputy Governor for Agro-Industrial Policy and Nature Management.
Since formation of the cluster (2015, May), the number of members increased - from 38 to 74, system solutions adopted. As the result, to the work of forest management included the assessment of the associated natural resources (mushrooms, berries, pine nuts) and their yield forecasting.
Representatives of the hunting and fishing industry are included in the tender committee for the provision of plots to timber producers in order to account for an animals and game birds habitats. Restrictions on the timing of the collection of wild plants were imposed, depending on the ripening of fruits, as well as the prohibition on the extraction of gravel during spawning.
On a competitive basis, the region received a subsidy from the federal budget in amount of 5 million rubles for cluster activities. The funds are aimed at branding fish processing products and new beverages, creating a single brand "Siberian Ivan-tea", conducting training seminars and developing business plans.
In the field of renewable resources, the growth of indicators noted in all areas. In 2016 in the fisheries industry the catch of fish increased by 32%, the volume of grown commercial fish by 15%. In the hunting economy the emphasis is on the development of hunting grounds and increasing the density of hunting resources. As a result, revenues from charges of using of hunting resources increased by 110%, revenue from meat products of wild animals was 33 million rubles, revenue from sale of down and fur materials was 21 million rubles.
In the sphere of wild plants there is an effective cooperation in the production of fermented tea from spray, the volume of its production reached 70 tons. The sector of processing of forest biochemistry is expanding, production of tar from birch bark and charcoal is going to industrial volumes. The leading enterprises of the cluster are actively working in the international direction: "SAVA", "Siberian Cedar" and "Solagift" passed an international audit and obtained biocertificates, which allowed them to enter to foreign markets.
Following the results of the project session, the cluster Council decided to create a negotiation platform for coordinating the actions of its participants. Also, the cluster Council to form a "basic portfolio" of investment cluster projects for increasing the attractiveness of this economy sector, to focus on development of interregional cooperation and strength cooperation with the IT cluster, which will reduce the costs of clusters and "close" the missing competencies.
