Seafood among growing export items in Argentina’s trade with Russian Federation

The Head of the Rosselkhoznadzor held a meeting with First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Argentine Republic Horacio Reyser on the G20 sidelines in Buenos Aires (Argentina). Horacio Reyser co-chairs the Russian-Argentinean Intergovernmental Commission which from the Russian side is headed by Sergey Dankvert. Minister of Agriculture of the Argentine Republic Luis Miguel Etchevehere and President of the National Service of Agri-Food Health and Quality (SENASA) of the Argentine Republic Ricardo Luis Negri also took part in the meeting, according to Rosselkhoznadzor.

The parties highlighted the trend towards increasing commodity exchange between Russia and Argentina which in January-September 2018 grew by 25% compared to the same period last year and the results for 2018 would exceed $1 bln.

Russian exports to Argentina soared by 56% and imports from Argentina increased by 14%. Principal import goods are season fruits, meat and meat by-products, dairy products and seafood.

It was noted that a whole range of factors could be conducive to developing of trade relations between the two countries in future, including the agreement reached at the last session of the Intergovernmental Commission in Moscow to draw up a list of priority joint projects. Resuming of soybean meal exports from Argentina to Russia is also under way: it is now necessary to register in Russia the unlicensed GMO lines and soybean meal. A group of Rosselkhoznadzor specialists is now in Argentina to study the risk-oriented approach to control and surveillance of grain and oil plants, including soybean meal exported from Argentina. The countries also envisage boosting cooperation in fighting foot-and-mouth disease.