Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- According to official data, in the first half of 2020, Russia supplied to foreign markets 31 million tonnes of agricultural products worth more than US$13 billion, which is US$2 billion or 18 % more compared to the same period of 2019.

According to experts, export volume may become a record in 2020, exceeding US$26 billion.

The main growth drivers were grain crops (US$3.3 billion), fat and oil products (US$2.5 billion), meat and dairy products (US$564 million). Also, a significant increase was recorded in the export of food and processing industry products (US$2.1 billion). The main importers of Russian food products from the CIS countries are Kazakhstan, Belarus and Uzbekistan.

All major groups of goods showed positive dynamics, with the exception of fish and seafood (US$1.9 billion), where the global decline in demand, the suspension of work of foreign enterprises and changes in logistics led to a decrease in prices. As a result, despite the increase in shipments of fish products in physical terms, in terms of value, its indicator decreased.

According to the Federal Customs Service of Russia, in January-June 2020, Russian export of agricultural products was carried out to 149 countries. The leading buyer in 2020 remains China, which imported 2.2 million tonnes of Russian food for the amount of US$1.9 billion. There is also Turkey - US$1.5 billion, Kazakhstan - US$974 million, South Korea, Belarus, Egypt, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, etc.

According to Deputy Prime Minister V. Abramchenko, it is possible to fully realize the export potential of the agro-industrial complex by focusing on at least three areas:

firstly, it is necessary to bring unused agricultural lands into circulation, as well as to increase their productivity;

secondly, to develop a program of scientific and technological development in various areas of agriculture, because the resulting scientific developments can become the key to intensifying the production of agricultural products with high added value;

thirdly, to produce products with improved environmental characteristics, which have an undeniable competitive advantage.