Leningrad Region asks to protect Rusal plant with import duties
The Governor of the Leningrad Region, Alexander Drozdenko, sent an appeal to the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia with a proposal to introduce protective import duties on corundum, a material used in the production of abrasives, ceramic and refractory products.
White corundum. Illustrative photo: Industrial Development Center of the Leningrad region.
The regional Committee for Economic Development and Investment Activity informed the Delovoy Peterburg newspaper about the appeal of the head of the region to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Alexander Drozdenko spoke about the need for such steps at a press conference in January 2026.
"We make corundum in Pikalevo. Now corundum is imported from a large country, our partner, and the price is lower because there are no import duties. We need to protect the domestic producer," the governor noted.The address of the head of the region details the problems of manufacturers, the press service of the regional government noted.
"Russian enterprises are facing significant pressure from foreign producers of white corundum, who take advantage of the current exchange rate difference. The strengthening of the ruble, along with other macroeconomic conditions, creates a difference in cost, which in some segments reaches 20-25%," the press service said.The government of the Leningrad Region is talking about the need to protect the Boksitogorsk alumina plant (JSC Rusal Boksitogorsk, part of the Rusal Group). The main activities of the group are the production of alumina, aluminum and secondary aluminum products. Today, as reported on the company's website, Rusal is one of the world's largest producers of white electrocorundum.
The production of this material at the plant in Boksitogorsk began in 2017. Investments in the project amounted to about 80 million rubles. Plans were reported to increase corundum production to 100 thousand tons. It was planned that a fifth of the products would be consumed by the Luga Abrasive Plant, and the main focus was on the export potential.
For more information, visit the website of the Delovoy Peterburg newspaper.