9 Oct 2009 17:05

Russian could become food exporter before long

MOSCOW. Oct 9 (Interfax) - Russia, whose main agricultural export is currently grain, could soon become a food exporter, First Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov said at athe Golden Autumn agro-industrial exhibition in Moscow.

He said producers in southern Russia had already agreed to ship turkey products to Arab countries. "There's a lot of demand for turkey and that market is set to soar," Zubkov said.

Zubkov said this year's exhibition stood out for the fact it was not demonstrating isolated examples of advance expertise and technology as in the past. "What is on show here is widespread, and is broadly applied in the sector," he said.

The main reason for this is that business is showing a sustained interest in the agro-industrial sector, and that interest was brought about by the measures the state has undertaken to support the sector, he said.

Some 50 Russian regions and 29 countries are represented at this year's exhibition, covering 55,000 square meters.