Fruit and vegetable producers in Serbia may stand to benefit from Russia’s decision to ban fresh produce imports from the EU for at least one year, provided they can cope with the anticipated higher demand from what is already a well established export market.
That’s according to Julka Toskic, marketing director at one of the country’s largest fresh produce export companies Delta Agrar, who told Eurofruit the Russian ban presented a major opportunity for Serbia to capitalise on existing strong trade ties with the country.
“For sure there is potential to increase Serbian fruit and vegetable exports [to Russia],” she commented. “Due to the good trade conditions between Russia and our country, the Russian market is the first-choice export market for our fruit and vegetable producers and traders.”
Recent improvement in the quality of Serbia’s fruit and vegetable production, thanks to greater modernisation and certification, means that most of the country’s leading producers are now in a position to meet the strict quality standards required by Russian customers, Toskic added.
“Now the main question is if Serbia will have enough [volume] to increase exports and of course prices will be a big issue too,” she said. “If prices will be better for export than for the domestic market, more fruit and vegetable will go to Russia.”
Buyers and importers across Russia are understood to be working hard to identify and tap into new sources of fresh produce supply outside of the EU, as well as other affected countries including the US and Australia, in order to cope with the ban.
'The ban means we now have to search for alternatives to European supplies,' said Irina Parfenova, purchasing manager at Belaya Dacha Trading, which supplies fresh-cut salads and vegetables to fast food chains in Russia, including McDonald's, as well as to many of the country's retailers.
'Our main sources are usually Spain, Italy and the Netherlands, but now we are looking to producers in Africa, Turkey, South America and Asia.'
