Alexander Tkachev: It is necessary to simplify the access of Russian agricultural products to the Chinese market.

On December 16, Beijing (PRC) hosted a working meeting between the head of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, Alexander Tkachev, and the Minister of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China, Han Changfu.

The officials discussed issues of Russian-Chinese cooperation in the agricultural sector, and, in particular, the development of bilateral trade in agricultural products between two countries.

“I believe that in order to intensify working processes, it is necessary to provide an easier access for Russian agricultural products to the Chinese market. Our manufacturers are ready to supply a wide range of products of both plant and animal origin to this country,” Alexander Tkachev said during the meeting.

The parties noted that over 11 months of 2015, export from Russia to China increased by 24.2% in value, amounting to $1.2 billion, compared to the same period of last year. It has occurred due to the physical increase in supplies of corn, flour, nuts, frozen fish and crustaceans, soybeans, rapeseed, vegetable oils (soybean, sunflower, rapeseed) and some other kinds of products.

Alexander Tkachev also noted that today between the Rosselkhoznadzor (Russia's agricultural safety watchdog) and the State General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the PRC, the issue of ensuring access for Russian products of animal origin to the Chinese market is being studied quite actively. Actually, constant interaction between experts of the two countries is well established, also meetings of the special work group are held on a regular basis.

Work on the access of Russian grain products to China is underway. At present, phytosanitary authorities of Russia and China have completed coordination of the draft Protocols of phytosanitary requirements for supplies of 5 types of crops from Russia to China: wheat, soybeans, rapeseed, corn, rice. “We hope that Russian companies will be able to supply grain to China in the very near future,” the head of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture stressed.

He also noted that the implementation of joint investment projects is an important field of cooperation between the two countries. “Taking into account the geographical proximity of Siberia and the Far East, we can explain such huge mutual interest in the implementation of joint projects. The development of our cooperation in these regions can deliver benefits in the medium term,” said Alexander Tkachev.

Source: mcx.ru
Source photo: photogenica.ru