Russia's agricultural attaches working in 38 countries, covering key export markets - Agriculture Ministry

MOSCOW. Sept 11 (Interfax) - Representatives of the Russian Agriculture Ministry (agricultural attaches) are currently working in 38 countries worldwide, covering key export markets, Deputy Agriculture Minister Maxim Markovich said.

"To date, we have sent about 40 representatives to 38 countries around the world. Essentially, we cover key export markets for us, and the representatives of the Russian Agriculture Ministry provide support not only in eliminating existing barriers for Russian agricultural exports, but also help build interaction and relationships with government structures in their host countries," Markovich said at the international conference "Measures to enhance the competitiveness of Russian exporters of agro-industrial products" in Moscow on Thursday.

The agricultural attaches simultaneously help specific companies solve business tasks related to product exports. "Therefore, taking this opportunity, I appeal to all companies - do not hesitate, reach out both to the Agriculture Ministry and directly to our representatives," he said.

The Agroexport federal center is also working closely with the agricultural attaches, Agroexport's head Ilya Ilyushin said at the conference. "Within Agroexport, we have created a separate department that deals specifically with processing requests from Russian exporters with the help of the Agriculture Ministry's representatives abroad," he said.

The work to create a network of agricultural attaches abroad is being carried out by the ministry in accordance with the Russian president's decree on representatives of the Russian Agriculture Ministry abroad dated October 2019.

The specialist training program is implemented at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) on the basis of the Agriculture Ministry's department for international agricultural markets and foreign economic activity in the agricultural sector. The first agricultural attaches were sent abroad in the spring of 2021.

In November 2024, the Russian president signed a decree according to which representatives of the Agriculture Ministry abroad can work not only as part of Russian diplomatic and consular institutions but also at international (interstate, intergovernmental) organizations, without being included in their staff numbers.