Russia to buy 150,000 tonnes Turkish poultry in 2011

Russia will import 150,000 tonnes of chicken from Turkey in 2011, said Russian Minister of Agriculture Yelena Borisovna Skrynnik.

Russia currently imports 57,000 tonnes of chicken from Turkey annually.

Minister Skrynnik, as part of the delegation of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, visited the Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Mehdi Eker in Ankara on Tuesday (May 11). Skrynnik said she was pleased to witness developing ties with Turkey.

"Thanks to the efforts of our ministries, Turkish exports of food to Russia increased by 14.7% in 2009. The relations between our ministries work as the engine of relations among other ministries. The agreements we will sign on Wednesday (May 12) will promote our relations. We will continue to work with the same spirit," Skrynnik said.

Mehdi Eker, in his part, said that Turkish and Russian relations developed fast.

"Agriculture is the engine of relations between Turkey and Russia. Based on our talks today, we have decided to sign an agricultural cooperation framework agreement and four protocols. We have done what governments could do for the export of chicken from Turkey. The rest is up to the efforts of the private sector," Eker said.