MOSCOW, December 5. /TASS/. Russian exports to the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including fertilizers, increased, despite a general decline in trade turnover, Deputy Director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the National Research University Higher School of Economics Alexander Korolev said,

"Despite the overall decline in trade turnover to $15.5 bln, Russian exports to the countries of Southeast Asia have increased, primarily due to an increase in mineral fuels and increased exports of fertilizers," the expert noted.

Korolev drew attention to the fact that Russia's fertilizer market is currently one of its main directions. "From a trade and economic point of view, Russia now and for many years ranks third in terms of volume of fertilizer exports to Southeast Asia, second only to Canada and China," he said.

"By 2022, Russia's fertilizer exports will have increased by 88%. These are large figures," Korolev stressed.