Russian confectionery companies broaden export geography to 93 countries in 2023 - industry association

MOSCOW. Dec 27 (Interfax) - Russian confectionery companies exported 452,000 tonnes of products worth more than $1.2 billion in January-September 2023, executive director of the industry association Ascond Vyacheslav Lashmankin was cited by the Russian Agriculture Ministry's Agroexport center as saying.

"The geography of exports has been expanded to 93 countries," Lashmankin said.

Russian confectionery products were exported to 90 countries in 2022.

The results recorded in January-September 2023 show that the sector has achieved the goals set for 2023, ensuring that this year's exports are no lower than last year, he said.

"The industry is pinning its hopes in 2024 on the launch of projects to promote confectionery products on the key markets of Southeast Asia, as well as the gradual lifting of restrictions on entry to friendly countries' markets, including by signing free trade area agreements," he said.

The Moscow region's Volshebnitsa confectionery factory exports its products to 17 countries, the company's advertising director Yelena Izgorodina was cited by the Agroexport center as saying. The company is now establishing partner relations with Iran.

"We hope that shipments will also start next year to a number of other foreign countries whose markets we see as promising," Izgorodina said.

Ascond president Sergei Nosenko said earlier that Russian confectionery companies could increase exports to $1.65 billion-$1.7 billion this year from $1.6 billion in 2022.