Fresh Produce Export Council Sets Its Sights on Russia |
| The efforts of the Fresh Produce Exporters Forum to facilitate market access for the country’s produce in order to increase exports will receive a major boost when it participates in an international trade fair in Russia next week.
The Marketing and Promotions Coordinator of the forum, which also serves as the industry’s export council, Ms Marletta Kellerman, will be one of the more than 30 businesspeople who will travel to Russia to showcase their products at the World Food Moscow Trade Fair from 24-27 September 2019. Their participation is funded by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) with the objective of assisting the South African companies find a market for their products in Russia. Kellerman says she will be travelling to Russia with the aim of marketing the South African fruit and vegetable industry in order to recruit clients for about 140 members of the forum who are spread across the country. “As a forum we have identified Russia as a very important market for the South African fruits and vegetables. Currently only seven percent of our fruit exports goes to Russia and we have made it our task to try and increase that percentage,” says Kellerman. She adds that it is incumbent upon her forum to increase the volumes of fresh produce exported to Russia because the European Union market is almost saturated. “We are targeting Russia because it is critically important for us to create a market for the new volumes of fruits that are coming. Almost 50% of our fruit exports go to Europe Union countries and that market is optimised. Therefore, we are hoping that participating in World Food Moscow will go a long way in helping us find clients who will be interested in importing our fruits and vegetables and assist us increase the percentage of our exports to Russia,” says Kellerman. According to the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Nomalungelo Gina, the dti views the World Food Moscow as an ideal platform for South Africa to showcase the country’s food and drink products to international wholesalers, distributors, retailers and restaurateurs. World Food Moscow brings thousands of businesspeople from around the world closer to Russia’s key food and drinks buyers, including retail representatives from Russia’s leading supermarket chains, wholesalers, food manufacturers as well as members of the hotel, restaurant and catering sector. Enquiries: |
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