WorldFood Moscow plays key role in re-establishing Turkey/Russia food trade
Published on 23/02/2017
WorldFood Moscow 2016 provided the venue for a reconciliation both Russian and Turkish producers have been waiting for. Since November 2015, food trade between the two states has stalled in the light of Russian bans. Now, things are recovering.
Turkey’s West Mediterranean Exporters Association (BAİB) has received its first, fresh Russian orders of fruits and vegetables since attending WorldFood Moscow. The exhibition took place at the Moscow Expocentre between 12 – 15 September 2016.
Mustafa Satıcı, President of BAİB, stated he and his organisation attended the show in order to showcase Turkish produce in the face of a lightening of restrictions on Turkish fruit and vegetable exports to Russia.
BAİB headed up a delegation of Turkish producers attending WorldFood Moscow 2016. After talks with Russia’s leading importers, Turkish companies were given a list of products Russian consumers wish to import from BAİB representatives.
Mr Satıcı said Russian companies had shown an interest in a range of products still presently facing sanctions. Tomatoes, oranges, peppers, courgettes, pomegranates and lettuce were amongst those products listed.
WorldFood Moscow, and the subsequent influx of new Russian orders, could not be better timed. As recently as August 2016, Presidents Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met and re-established normal relations between the two states.
Now, thanks to the platform provided by WorldFood Moscow, Russian and Turkish companies can begin rebuilding relationships affected by the events of the past year.
WorldFood Moscow: A gateway to Russia
This news reveals the vital role trade shows play in establishing international relationships in the food and beverage industry – and now in helping to mend international relations. The exhibition is attended each year by national groups representing clusters of companies hoping to succeed in Russia.
Importers and buyers from massive Russian chains, alongside representatives from government division such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Russia’s food safety watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor, are all in attendance.
Forging, extending and repairing relationships requires face to face contact – especially in Russia. Trade shows, such as WorldFood Moscow, offer a space for international businesses to come together and conduct essential talks. At the same time, national groups and individual companies are afforded the chance to heavily promote products to a captive audience.
It is these benefits BAİB took advantage of at WorldFood Moscow 2016, in order to broker new deals taking Turkish produce back to the Russian market.
If you missed out on attending WorldFood Moscow in 2016, do not panic. The event will return for its 26th edition in September 2017. Learn more about WorldFood Moscow today to see how the show offers more than any other form of marketing for international clients.
Image: © Albert Gonzalez via Flickr