Top 5 news for December 2023

ROSSELKHOZNADZOR, together with the General Administration of Customs (GTU) of CHINA , agreed on a veterinary certificate for the EXPORT of pork from RUSSIA to China, the Russian service reports. “Thus, another step has been taken, bringing the Russian Federation closer to opening the Chinese market for Russian pork,” the statement says. Currently, Rosselkhoznadzor is awaiting the results of an assessment of the veterinary supervision system for the production of pig products, carried out by representatives of the State Technical Institution of the People's Republic of China. As the HEAD of Rosselkhoznadzor Sergei Dankvert said, supplies of Russian pork to China may begin in the next two months. 

The EAEU and Iran signed a free trade agreement

At a ceremony in St. Petersburg, the EAEU countries and the Islamic Republic of Iran entered into a full-scale free trade agreement, which will replace the temporary agreement in force since 2019. The signing of the document was preceded by more than two years of consultations and negotiations. According to an IRNA correspondent, the document involves the complete abolition of duties on 87% of goods in mutual trade. According to the EEC Trade Minister Andrei Slepnev, the entry into force of the new agreement will increase the volume of bilateral trade to 18-20 billion US dollars per year over the next 5-7 years.

Russia has exported food worth $43 billion since the beginning of the year

Since the beginning of 2023, Russia has exported food worth $43 billion, which is 14% more than in the same period last year. This was announced by the Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation Dmitry Patrushev. He noted that the largest share in the structure of exports - about 38% - traditionally falls on grain. Russia remains the world leader in wheat supplies. By the end of 2023, the volume of exports of Russian agricultural products will amount to more than $45 billion. “This will be another historical record for our country. Next year, taking into account the good harvest and positive production dynamics in the main areas, we expect that the current high export figures will continue,” Dmitry Patrushev emphasized. 

Leading experts in the agro-industrial complex discussed the results of Russian exports in 2023 and identified key areas for further development

On December 7, 2023, the V Annual Strategic Session “Russian Agroexport 2023–2024: Trends, Challenges and New Opportunities” was held, organized by the Federal Center “Agroexport”. At the event, which is traditionally held at the end of the year, heads of leading exporting companies, industry unions and consulting companies summed up preliminary results for 2023 and announced forecasts for 2024 . One of the main topics of discussion was ensuring the sustainability of supplies and the long-term presence of Russian companies in target markets. 

COP28 paid significant attention to agriculture

Agri-food systems account for approximately a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, but for 30 years, agreements reached at UN climate summits have paid little attention to the impact of agriculture. That changed this year at the COP28 summit in Dubai, where more than 130 countries signed a declaration on sustainable agriculture. For the first time in history, a separate day of the summit was dedicated to the agricultural and food sector, and the roadmap for sustainable development of the industry developed by FAO was also presented.