Agreements to export up to 360 tonnes of venison from Yamal signed at Berlin fair
BERLIN. Jan 21 (Interfax) - Representatives of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District presented more than 60 types of venison products at the annual International Green Week food and agriculture exhibition in Berlin.
Agreements to export up to 360 tonnes of the meat were signed.
Yury Neyelov, the Federation Council senator representing this region and a former governor, told Interfax that these products drew strong interest from exhibition visitors.
"We presented the most diverse venison products here, including raw sliced, smoked venison, dried and many others. I can say without exaggerating that our products created a stir, consumers from France, Germany, Finland and a number of other countries showed an interest in it. We have already signed several agreements to export our products, which according to experts are in large part exclusive," Neyelov said.
He said that in the course of the exhibition the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District managed to upend the notions of both ordinary visitors and the business world that this northern region is unsuited for the development of agriculture.
"Our region, which has unfavourable climatic conditions since winter temperatures here fall to -40 degrees, is home to the largest herd of domesticated reindeer, not only in Russia but the world - more than 700,000 head. And this year our reindeer farmers delivered a record amount of venison - more than 2,300 tonnes of meat," Neyelov said, adding that this was the highest figure every in the history of reindeer farming in Russia.
"More than 50% of the reindeer population is held by private households and the regional authorities plan to continue to create the most favourable conditions for the development of reindeer breeding by private farms and private households," he said.
He said the Russian exposition at the Berlin fair in 2013 is the largest in years. "Thirty-two Russian regions are participation in the fair, presenting diverse agricultural products, including environmentally conscious products. Krasnoyarsk Territory, Tatarstan, Kabardino-Balkaria and a number of other Russian regions have presented large expositions," Neyelov said.
Nearly 2,000 representatives from 60 countries are taking part in the exhibition, he added.
The governor's press office said the municipal Yamal Deer enterprise signed a contract to export 240 tonnes of venison to Finland's Polarica OY and a letter of intent to sell 120 tonnes to Germany's Geti Wilba.
It signed contracts to sell a total of 420 tonnes worth EUR 2.5 million to Geti Wilba and Finland's Lapin Liha OY in 2012 at last year's fair, and shipped 460 tonnes in 2011. Polarica has since merged with Lapin Liha.
The press office said the reduction in volumes was planned as Yamal Deer is gradually turning to the Russian market. The company, the Yamal-Nenets district's sole venison enterprise, sells venison to Europe for image purposes. It has been selling the meat to Europe since 2008.