Russia boosted agricultural exports to UAE 12% in 2019, to $245 mln
MOSCOW. Feb 18 (Interfax) - Russia boosted its agricultural exports to the UAE 12% in 2019, to $245 million.
"Gulf countries today account for 7% of Russian agricultural exports, totaling $1.7 billion. Last year, the supply of agricultural products to the UAE increased by 12%, to $245 million. For instance, the export of Russian poultry meat increased by 48%, chocolate confectionery by 28%, and the supply of wheat increased," the Agriculture Ministry quoted Deputy Minister Sergei Levin as saying in a statement.
"A Russian delegation led by Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sergei Levin took part in the 25th Gulfood 2020 Exhibition [...] in the United Arab Emirates," the statement reads.
"On the sidelines of the exhibition, the Deputy Minister held bilateral meetings with the UAE Minister of Climate and Environment Changes Tani al-Zeyudi and the UAE Minister of Food Security Mariam Mheiri, during which he discussed the prospects for further development of bilateral agricultural cooperation and increased exports of Russian agricultural products and food to the Gulf countries and the African continent," it reads.
Levin held "working meetings with the Director General of the Office for Standardization and Metrology of the UAE Abdullah Al-Maini and the Director General of the Certification Center of the Arabian Gulf countries Ahmed Al-Mutayri, during which the parties discussed the need to expand the number of accredited Russian centers certifying domestic agricultural products and halal food for supplies to the Gulf countries," the statement reads.
Levin also "took part in a number of meetings of exporting companies from Russia with representatives of the UAE business community, including with the executive director of the major grain company Al Dahra Holding LLC, Hussein Al Kateri; the permanent representative of the World Bank in the UAE, Jamal Al-Kibbi; the investment director of the International Finance Corporation, Sevgi Sekiner; the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Enspire Investment Group, Soud Baalawi; and the management team of the Carrefour supermarket chain in the UAE," it reads.