RABAT, October 11. /TASS/. Russian food exports in 2017 may amount to $20 billion this year, Russian Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev said at a meeting of the Russian business mission in Morocco on Tuesday.

"Russian food exports actively develop in the past years. It multiplied by 3.5 times in the past decade - from five billion to $17 billion in 2016," Tkachev said. "We expect the exports to amount to about $20 billion in 2017."

"I would like to note that not only the growth of exports is important, but also their diversification in terms of both geography and structure," he said.

The business forum, held in Moroccan capital Rabat to coincide with the visit by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, gathered representatives of about 20 Russian companies working in energy, transport, agriculture, pharmaceutical industry and other spheres.