Siberia is a huge, resource-rich region that has long been kept out of the main world trade flows. The sanctions led to some restrictions in logistics. Scientists at Tomsk State University studied the transport corridors connecting Russia and Asian countries, and proposed new logistics solutions that will open up new transport horizons and include Siberia in trade flows. The results of the study were published in one of the leading Russian journals on international research – the Journal of International Analytics.

– Statistics show that Russia’s trade with China, as well as the countries of the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, has been growing rapidly in recent years. So, in 2023, the volume of trade with these regions reached an impressive $912 billion, says Artyom Dankov, associate professor of the Department of World Politics at the Faculty of History and Political Studies of TSU. – At the same time, trade between Siberia and Asian countries is mainly spontaneous. Small consignments of goods transported by private entrepreneurs face the problems of logistics, customs clearance and high transport costs. This leads to an increase in the final cost of production and reduces the competitiveness of Siberian goods in Asian markets.

Now all logistics models are built either from European Russia or along the China-Europe route. The restrictions and sanctions that were introduced after the start of the Special Military Operation led to the fact that some of the previous supply chains were disrupted. For example, there were significantly more transportation by land. Previously, container ships were unloaded in Europe or St. Petersburg, goods were distributed throughout the European part of Russia, some of them reached Siberia. Now a significant part of the goods is transported by land routes.

– The main trading partners of Russia in Central Asia are Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, explains Artyom Dankov. – It is possible to solve the problem of increasing transportation by land by forming new transport corridors that will extend from north to south. This will allow such a large macro-region as Siberia to engage in active trade with Asia.

The development of a new logistics model requires an integrated approach, including the study of customs procedures, the analysis of transport routes and the assessment of potential risks. TSU scientists plan such studies as the next stage of their research.

– If we are able to create stable supply channels, Siberian food will compete in price with imported products from other regions, and fruits and vegetables from Asia will become much cheaper, – says Evgeny Savkovich, professor at the Department of Oriental Studies at the TSU Faculty of History and Political Studies. – For example, grapes are sold for an average of 200 rubles per kg during the season. Imagine how much lower the price will be if there will be no small transportation by road, but ordered supplies by rail.

TSU international scientists emphasize that it is necessary to carefully study the structure of trade between Siberia and Asian countries in order to determine the optimal set of goods for bilateral trade. For example, grain, flour and pasta, vegetable oil, wild plants, which are in great demand abroad, and other goods can be transported from Siberia.

The authors of the article believe that successful integration of Siberia into international trade flows will not only increase the export of Siberian products, but also provide residents of the macroregion with a wider range of goods at affordable prices. This will become an important factor in improving living standards and sustainable development of Siberian territories.