VLADIVOSTOK, September 6. /TASS/. Export of fish products from Russia decreased to around 1 mln tons in the first half of 2024 year-on-year, head of the Russian Federal Agency for Fisheries Ilya Shestakov said in an interview with TASS at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), adding that the trend is expected to persist by the end of the year.

"Around 1 mln tons. Overall, export fell both in absolute terms and in value terms," he said, adding that import of fish products to Russia also contracted.

"We have ample supplies of certain types of fish that may be delivered to foreign markets if additional demand arises. I think that the trend will persist by the end of this year, meaning export will be lower," Shestakov said.

Russian fish products are mainly exported to China, with the country accounting for half of Russian fish exports, he added. "It is followed by Japan, South Korea and the Netherlands as kind of a port hub. It clearly goes further to EU countries among others. African countries also consume quite a lot of Russian fish products, Nigeria being the largest of them," Shestakov said.

Russia is constantly involved in the work on opening new export markets, he noted, adding that around 140 countries are open for supplies of Russian fish products now. "On the one hand, it is important to enter new markets, though it is even more important to sell products there. And here, of course, business together with the Russian Export Center and Agroexport are to address their promotion on foreign markets," head of the fisheries agency stressed.

In April 2024, Shestakov said at an extended meeting of the agency’s collegium that fish and seafood exports in natural terms increased by 9% in 2023 compared with 2022 to 2.5 mln tons. In money terms, exports totaled $5.8 bln, which is 5.6% lower than in 2022.

The Eastern Economic Forum is underway on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok. The main theme of the EEF this year is ‘Far East 2030. Combining strengths to create new potential’. Business activities are broken down into seven thematic blocks: ‘New contours of international cooperation’, ‘Technologies to ensure independence’, ‘Financial value system’, ‘the Russian Far East’, ‘People, education and patriotism’, ‘Transport and logistics: new routes’, and ‘Master plans: from architecture to economy’. The Roscongress Foundation is the Forum’s organizer. TASS is the general information partner of the EEF.