Author Archives: CrispConsulting

Imports to Russia from non-CIS countries in 2015 fell 36.4%

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According to preliminary customs statistics, in 2015, imports from non-CIS countries to Russia amounted to almost $162 billion, which means that in comparison with 2014, they decreased by 36.4%.

In December 2015, the value of imports from non-CIS countries totaled $14.8 billion, which compared with November 2015, is an increase of 6.2%, while compared with December 2014, the value fell by 28.3%. In December purchases of food products fell by 23.0%, to $ 2.354 billion. Vegetable imports decreased by 21.2%, while imports of fruit increased by 2.9%.

www.freshplaza.com

Russian inflation rate was 12.9% in 2015

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Russian annual inflation for 2015 on consumer prices was set at 12.9 percent, according to Rosstat’s final statistics for the year.

According to earlier predictions by the Russian Economic Development Ministry, inflation was set at 12.5 percent. At the end of December, Economic Development Minister Alexei Ulyukayev said the inflation rate for 2015 would be approximately 13 percent.

Russia saw an economic downturn in 2014 after the United States and the European Union imposed economic sanctions on Moscow over its alleged involvement in the Ukrainian crisis. The ruble lost about half its value against the dollar.

In late November, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Russia’s economic outlook had been improving, with the country’s economy heading toward stabilization. The IMF predicted Russia’s inflation rate to continue to fall further during 2016.

Last month, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said that the inflation in the country would slow down to 6-7 percent in 2016.

www.sputniknews.com

Prodexpo 2016

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  Prodexpo

  23rd International Exhibition

  February 8-12, 2016

  Expocentre, Moscow

PRODEXPO is the largest annual specialized exhibition in Russia and Eastern Europe. For more than 20 years, it has determined the development of the domestic food industry. Over the years of its existence, the PRODEXPO exhibition has played an important role in stimulating the Russian food industry. Promoting high-quality foodstuffs to the domestic market, the PRODEXPO trade show contributes to implementing high-priority federal projects aimed at improving the quality of life of the Russian citizens. The program of the exhibition includes seminars, conferences, master classes.

More information www.prod-expo.ru

Fruit Logistica 2016

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  Fruit Logistica

  3-5 February, 2016

  Messe Berlin GmbH, Messedamm 22, Berlin, Germany

More than 2,600 exhibitors and 62,000 trade visitors attend Fruit Logistica every year. They see it as the ideal place to establish and build the personal trust which is so essential for dealing successfully in perishable products such as fresh fruit and vegetables. FRUIT LOGISTICA covers every single sector of the fresh produce business and provides a complete picture of the latest innovations, products and services at every link in the international supply chain. It thus offers superb networking and contact opportunities to the key decision-makers in every sector of the industry.

The entire spectrum of the fresh fruit and vegetable sector:

  • Fresh fruit and vegetables
  • Dried fruit and nuts
  • Packaging and labelling
  • Transport and logistical systems
  • Produce handling and storage
  • Press and media
  • Computer and internet solutions
  • Cultivation systems

More information www.fruitlogistica.de

Russia collected record vegetable harvest in 2015

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In 2015, Russia collected a record vegetable harvest – 16.1 million tons compared to 15.5 million tons last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. This figure is also 12.3% higher than the average for the last five years.

As pointed out by the authority, the increase occurred despite the difficult macroeconomic conditions, as well as drought, floods and fires in some regions.

According to the regional government on December 24, the gross yield of greenhouse vegetable crops totaled 470,900 tons, including cucumbers – 337,000,  tomatoes – 123,400 tons and other vegetables 10,500 tons.

Collection of potatoes totaled 33.6 million tons, which is 15.9% more than the average of the past five years. In 2014, 31.5 million tons of potatoes were collected. The harvest of fruits and berries amounted to 2.9 million tons. This is 9% more than the average over the past five years, but lower than in 2014 (3 million tons).

Finnish businessman develops processing wild berries in Northern Russia

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Finnish businessman Osmo Kolu operates a facility on the Kola Peninsula, in the far northwest of Russia, he is developing gathering and processing wild berries in the region. Kolu says that this initiative, together with the enterprise’s processing capabilities, is a good opportunity in terms of Russia’s strategy to substitute imports with domestic production. The company’s main activities are sorting, processing and freezing berries – cranberries, cloudberries, blueberries, lingonberries, crowberries.

Some berries, for example, cloudberries, are mostly exported to Scandinavia countries, some, such as blueberries, are sold within Russia.

The company is going to expand its activities in Russia as a part of import substitution program.

www.fruitnews.info, www.ria.ru

Proposition for zero import duties for Iranian products exported to Russia

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Russia hopes to increase imports of fruit and vegetables from Iran. In order to make this happen, the country is considering reducing or eliminating import duties on Iranian agricultural products. Iran has become a more important partner for Russia following the ban on Turkish agricultural products, which will come into force 1 January 2016.

Minister of Economic Development Alexei Ulyukayev told reporters that the final decision on this issue must be taken by the Eurasian Economic Union.

“We are proposing serious steps to improve trade conditions for Iranians, meaning the reduction or, in some cases, even elimination, of import tariffs, primarily for agricultural produce — fruits and vegetables,”.

www.freshplaza.com

Armenian exports growing

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According to the Armenian Ministry of Agriculture, the country exported 70,200 tonnes of fruit and vegetables already this year. That’s 28,000 tonnes or 68 percent more than last year. The export is only expected to grow further. The majority of the export, 84 percent (58,900 tonnes), is exported to Russia. About 11,000 tonnes went to Georgia, with other markets being countries like the United Arab Emirates, Poland, Kuwait, Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Iran.

Armenia exported 11,000 tonnes of grapes, 21,300 tonnes of apricots, 3,045 tonnes of plums and 2,200 tonnes of cherries. The apple export amounted to 1270 tonnes. For cabbage it’s 10,200 tonnes, radish 2,900 tonnes, tomatoes 1,280 tonnes and cucumbers 3,700 tonnes. For all products, a significant growth was realized.

www.freshplaza.com

Real wages and retail sales falling, while unemployment rate rising

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Retail sales fell 13.1% year over year, worse than the 11.5% market estimates. The decline likely means consumption declined in the fourth quarter.

“This will cause the recession to be extended for at least a sixth quarter,” says Daniel Hewitt, a Russia economist with Barclays Capital in London.

Real wages fell 9.0%, but that’s better than the 11% decline in October. Unemployment on the other hand rose to 5.8% from 5.5% in October, so within any margin of error.

Russian industrial is still negative, falling 3.5% on the year. Consensus estimates had it at -2.9%. The good news is that the negative numbers are not as high as they were a few months ago. They’ve been on the upswing for the past six months, but are still in the red.

www.forbes.com

Russia’s Central Bank declares shortage of banned food items

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Russian food producers failed to meet market requirements in most categories, according to a report published on Friday by the Central Bank, the Kommersant newspaper reported.

In the report, the Central Bank sums up the results of an “import substitution” agenda that was introduced because of the restrictions on food imports from the United States, the European Union, Canada, Norway and Australia.

Imposed last August in retaliation for the Western sanctions, the import restrictions have boosted Russian food industry — the report revealed growth in meat and dairy production, with a significant 25 percent increase of beef and potato output. Fish and sausage production suffered a small decline, falling by 5 and 4 percent respectively.

However, the Central Bank said that the development of domestic food industry so far has failed to fill the gap left by the embargo, Kommersant reported. Total volumes of beef decreased by 42%, butter – by 15%, fresh and chilled fish – by 14%, vegetables – by 10%. Only poultry, pork and potatoes showed the increase  – 6%, 7% and 19% respectively.

“Although the percentage of Russian products has increased, the total market volume that includes both domestic and imported products, has decreased,” the report says.

The shortages have led to soaring food prices with prices of key products rising sharply — cereals and beans prices showed the biggest increase (49.2%), a government analytical center revealed in a “Food Embargo” bulletin published this August.

www.themoscowtimes.com, www.kommersant.ru