Egyptian exporters have started negotiations with their Russian counterparts on supplying agricultural products, said chairman of the Agricultural Products Export Council (APEC) Omar Eissa on Monday. "Around 250 Egyptian companies are exporters to Russia, and they have started negotiations with suppliers and supermarket chains," Eissa told the Daily News Egypt. "Egyptian suppliers have good ties with their Russian counterparts." Eissa said that Russia is the top non-Arab importer of Egyptian agricultural products, and is the second largest importer of Egyptian agricultural products after Saudi Arabia. "During the 2013/2014 fiscal year, our agricultural exports to Russia amounted to $310mn," Eissa said, adding that the value is expected to increase "following the new updates". Eissa added that the value of the increase remains unknown as it depends on various factors, including "the changes of weather that influences crops and the presence of competitors". Minister of Industry and Foreign Trade Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour announced late Saturday that he will head to Moscow in September, accompanied by a delegation of Egyptian businessmen and exporters. The minister added that the volume of agricultural product exports to Russia was approximately 627,000 tons during the past year. He pointed out that Egypt should take advantage of such opportunity and increase the volume of products available in the Russian market. Earlier in August, Russia banned food imports from the European Union, the US and several other western countries for one year. The "full embargo" banned imports of fruits, vegetables, meat, and milk along with several other products. Russian News Agency ITAR-TASS reported the agricultural standard agency requested domestic and foreign importers to choose new countries to supply them with the needed commodities. The agency's spokeswoman Yulia Trofimova told ITAR-TASS that the agency's chief, Sergey Dankvert, is said to meet with foreign trade operators to discuss the possibility of opening new markets. "We want to know which countries our importers are interested in," she told the agency, adding that "emphasis is firstly on those who buy meat and dairy products." The Russian agency also reported that veterinary watchdog Rosselkhoznador will receive from Turkey a list that will include food suppliers. President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi is set to pay a "short visit" to Russia on Tuesday after receiving an invitation by the Russian President Vladimir Putin, Egypt's State Information Service said Sunday. Earlier in March, the Ministry of Industry and Foreign Trade announced that a Russian industrial zone focused on producing agricultural machinery and equipment will be established in Egypt. The statement noted that Russia will assist Egypt in the development and modernisation of the Egyptian Iron and Steel Helwan Factory, El Nasr Automotive Manufacturing Company and Egypt's large aluminium production company, Egyptalum, located in Nag Hammadi. The ministry also reported that Egyptian and Russia committees were tackling the possibility of signing long-term contracts regarding the supply of Russian wheat to Egypt.
