Global Fishery Forum & Seafood Expo Russia
September, 17-19, 2024, Saint Petersburg
Seafood Expo Russia Team and Foreign Business: Series of Meetings
04/04/2022

Cooperation between Russian and foreign companies in the fishing industry, which has been developing for many years, is now under threat. The imposed restrictions and the exit from the market of several important players can destroy the supply chains and influence negatively on many industry processes, in particular shipbuilding, processing, distribution, aquaculture. At the same time, the importance of the industry and the value of resources in the new conditions will increase.

Seafood Expo Russia always offers participants effective solutions to the most significant tasks and the upcoming exhibition in September will not be an exception. Since the range of issues is very large and the finding solutions which help different categories of exhibitors requires a lot of work, Expo Solutions Group decided to hold a series of meetings with representatives of foreign countries and businesses. Among them are promising partners from Asia, South America, Africa, Europe, CIS-countries, and the Middle East. On the one hand, attention will be paid to the search for new perspective markets, on the other hand, to developing mechanisms for continuing cooperation with partners in current circumstances. The international aspect is still important for the industry, and despite the sanctions opportunities for having business with Russia remain.

The first in a series of meetings were negotiations with representatives of India, which showed the high interest of the parties in maintaining and actively developing business contacts. The first agreements have been reached on participation of companies from India in the exhibition in September. Now the sides are discussing the format of exposition. There were also telephone conversations with Icelandic companies, for many of which business with Russia remains a strategically important area.

“The industry continues to live and develop, and our task is to provide it with technologies, equipment, and customers. We work directly with representatives of foreign states and businesses to agree on possible teamwork algorithms together. We already achieved the first success in negotiations with India. This year the country will take a special place at Seafood Expo Russia. We are in active dialogue with the Indian Embassy, MPEDA and representatives of single companies such as IFB AGRO, which is one of the five largest shrimp exporters in India,” said Ivan Fetisov, CEO of Expo Solutions Group.

In addition to the planned meetings with representatives of more than 40 states, including China, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, work also continues with many professional associations. One of them is CAPPMA (China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Alliance), which has previously participated in the exhibition. The main areas of cooperation with foreign partners are technologies, shipbuilding, equipment, and the development of trade relations. The areas of education and professional training of personnel, ensuring the safety of the fishery are also of great interest.

Preliminary negotiations with representatives of foreign countries showed a positive dynamic. Some of them expressed their wish to cooperate on a wide range of issues, which will require the answer on how to put it into action under sanctions. The organizers of Seafood Expo Russia plan to maintain and increase direct contacts in order to offer participants of the exhibition several ready-made scenarios for maintaining stability and develop in difficult conditions.