VLADIVOSTOK, September 5. /TASS/. Russian and Chinese transport operators supported by the Russian Export Center (REC) negotiated establishment of Agroexpress - a new mechanism for exports of Russian agro-industrial products to China, making possible to significantly reduce the delivery time of Russian foods to Chinese markets. A relevant agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

Representatives of REC, RZD Logistics, Slavtrans Service and FVK companies agreed to work together for promotion of exports of Russian agro-industrial products to China through the use of fast-moving refrigerated container trains called Agroexpresses and worked out main delivery routes. The first Agroexpress is expected to be dispatched to China as soon as practicable.

The Russian Export Center will deal with searching for export shippers in Agroexpress freight trains and for foreign partners.

"The Agroexpress project has been scheduled to start with 2 trains per week, and further, as soon as practicable, to proceed with 5 Agroexpresses coming from each departure point of export-oriented hub stations. Scaling up the project to various Russian and Chinese regions has been planned," REC Senior Vice President Alexei Kozhevnikov said in a comment.

"Delivery of ready food products directly to the inland China, if compared with the traditional sea routes, would significantly reduce the delivery time and notably mitigate the aggregate transport expenses of the Russian exporters, open new markets in China, owing to significant competitive advantage over the European and American exporters operating only through Chinese seaports. At the same time, Agroexpress would open the new opportunities for the Chinese exporters supplying their products to the Russian market in reverse loading mode," he added.