ST. PETERSBURG, September 27. /TASS/. Russia reduced the export of agricultural products to unfriendly countries by $2.6 billion in 2022, agricultural minister Dmitry Patrushev said on Wednesday. He was speaking at the plenary session of the 6th Global Fishery Forum.

"Agricultural exports, including fish exports, today are primarily eying friendly countries. In 2022, taking into account the geopolitical situation, our export flow to unfriendly countries decreased by $2.6 billion," Patrushev said.

According to him, despite the growth in exports of fish products in 2022 by 4%, it is necessary to pay attention to a systematic reduction in import - last year it decreased by a quarter.

"We continue to refocus to the markets of friendly countries, we continue to work to increase export volumes and open new markets," Patrushev noted.

He also said that despite all the restrictions, Russia is supplying fish products to 80 countries this year, while in 2022 it supplied them to 60 countries.

Earlier, the head of Russian Federal Fisheries Agency Ilya Shestakov said that fish exports in 2023 are expected to be at last year’s level.

About forum

The 6th Global Fishery Forum and Expo Russia, sponsored by Russian Federal Fisheries Agency with the support of the Agriculture Ministry, is underway in St. Petersburg on September 27-29 at the Expoforum Convention and Exhibition Center. TASS is the official information partner of the forum.