With less than a month to go until the start of World Food Moscow, which takes place in the Russian capital on 15-18 September, speculation has been rife as to the possible impact on the fair of Russia's ban on agricultural products from the EU, the US, Canada, Norway and Australia.
Several exhibitors from EU countries suggested that they might have chosen to attend merely as visitors this year, had they not already booked flights, hotels and exhibition space.
However, national group stands for those countries not affected by the ban, including Egypt, China, Brazil and Argentina have substantially increased their exhibiting space, according to the exhibition's organisers, ITE Group.
Tony Higginson, ITE's sales director, commented: 'The changes in Russia's food regulations have meant that interest from non-EU countries entering this market has increased, and subsequently we have received an influx of last-minute bookings from those countries that are not affected by the ban.'
He added that the ban had had little impact on the event's overall exhibitor list, pointing to the fact that international companies, including those from the EU, were keen to maintain their presence on the market and to continue to develop their relationships with existing clients.
