FAO assesses agricultural trade policies in post-Soviet countries

The third Review of Agricultural Trade Policies in post-Soviet countries, covering the period from 2016 to 2017, was presented today at the Central Scientific Agricultural Library in Moscow. The event was broadcast live on the internet.

The Review looks into trends in foreign trade in agricultural products and monitors recent changes in trade policies that influence the dynamics and structure of trade in twelve post-Soviet countries.

The publication also includes a special chapter on the strategies and programmes that promote agricultural exports in these countries. In 2016-2017, due to the need to diversify markets for agricultural products, many post-Soviet countries intensified the development of such policy documents, considering the increase in exports as a factor contributing to economic growth in this sector.

Ms Irina Kobuta, Agricultural Trade and Commodity Policy Economist at FAO, reported on the key findings and recommendations of the Review. Ms Renata Yanbykh, Director for Agricultural Policies Division at the Higher School of Economics and one of the co-authors of the Review, and Mr Dmitry Bulatov, President of the National Union of Food Exporters, presented their analysis of the agricultural trade policies in Russia.