August 11, 2014

Kyrgyzstan looks to increase food exports to Russia

The agriculture ministry of Kyrgyzstan has been ordered by Prime Minister Joomart Otorbayev to increase food exports to Russia, in light of recent sanctions imposed upon the latter.

"Considering that Russia has imposed an embargo on imports of vegetables and fruit from the EU and the US, we should strengthen our export potential," Otorbayev said. "The Agriculture Ministry should carefully and quickly examine the possibility of agricultural exports to Russia."

The prime minister said that a huge market worth US$50 billion had opened up for Kyrgyzstan's food exports following Russia's sanctions decision.

"In this connection, we should produce as many quality goods as possible and be ready to start supplying them to Russia at any time," he said.

Kyrgyzstan's deputy economy minister, Sanzhar Mukanbetov, said that the republic was ready to supply Russia with milk and dairy products, poultry, beef, onion, potato and other agricultural products, adding that the government had already started organising meetings between representatives of leading Russian retail chains and Kyrgyz entrepreneurs.

This month, Russia announced suspension of food imports from Norway, Canada, Australia, the US and the EU in response for sanctions imposed by those countries in recent weeks.

The ban, targeting all beef, pork, fish, fruit, vegetables and dairy products over the next 12 months, is expected to adversely affect Western economies.

Combined with other import bans imposed earlier this year, the new trade measures cover Western imports worth US$9.1 billion in 2013, according to Russian customs data. Among the main victims are Dutch cheese, Norwegian salmon, and Spanish fruit and vegetables.