Russia boosts Halal exports to UAE

Abu Dhabi 10-10-2019
Russian companies have shown increasing interest in the UAE market and major exhibitions held in Dubai throughout the year, while UAE and Russian officials stressed the importance of Russia’s expansion of its commercial activities in the UAE market to boost its exports, especially agriculture, and benefit from the growing food products market in the UAE.
In recent years, Russia has taken a few steps to strengthen its presence in the UAE markets in this field.It opened a commercial representation office at the Russian Embassy in Abu Dhabi in 2017 and also opened the Russian Food House in Dubai in 2019.
Speaking to Emirates News Agency (WAM) on how the UAE can benefit from Russian exports of food, Omar Khan, Director of the International Office at the Dubai Chamber, said that Russia is exerting great efforts to support its food exports to the Middle East and Asia.
He added that the UAE would benefit from this trend as it remains the preferred re-export hub for Russian products and goods in the region, allowing exporters to reach around 2 billion consumers in surrounding markets.
According to the Russian Business Council, Russian companies have shown increased interest in major exhibitions held in Dubai throughout the year, including the Gulfood exhibition, which saw significant Russian participation this year.
He added that the Dubai Chamber is working to increase Russia’s enormous trade potential in various economic sectors with the opening of an office in the region to determine the business possibilities in the Russian and European Asian markets. Eurasian and encourage Dubai as a preferred trading center for Russian companies.
“Since we opened our first international office in Baku seven years ago, the number of Russian companies registered with the Dubai Chamber has almost tripled to 550 today.” He pointed out that the UAE is home to various nationalities, which increases the demand for the diversity of food products, making it a favorable market for Russian food exports.
“Given that the UAE imports more than 85 percent of its food needs, the government is keen to diversify its food import markets and cooperate with other countries in food security,” he said.
“The UAE has world-class infrastructure, excellent logistics facilities and attractive free zones that make the business process efficient and cost-effective,” he said, adding that Dubai is also a major hub for food products from around the world, re-exported. Across the emirate to surrounding markets in the GCC, Africa and Asia.
“ Some AED 900 million worth of agricultural products and foodstuffs were exported from Russia to Dubai in 2018, while more than AED 104 million worth of related Russian food products were re-exported across the emirate. To promote future cooperation in this regard in the future and explore new product categories. ‘
“There are more than 40 free zones that offer value-added services, 100 per cent foreign ownership, an investor-friendly environment, and no corporate tax, industry meetings, incentives and conferences, and fast-growing exhibitions as Dubai hosts some of the The largest exhibitions and conferences in the world every year. ”
Another factor making the UAE an attractive destination is the booming tourism market, which is set to expand further in the near future as the country plans to receive 20 million tourists at Expo 2020, he said.
In its latest annual report, the UAE Ministry of Economy recorded a total trade volume between the UAE and Russia in 2018 of US $ 3.4 billion.
The ministry listed wheat products among the highest imports after diamonds, worth AED 460 million, followed by chocolate products worth AED 400 million.
For his part, the Russian Business Council told the Emirates News Agency “in addition to real estate, logistics, aviation and energy, Russian investors type of business in the UAE … Russia also looks to increase agricultural and industrial exports to the UAE.
“The UAE has become home to thousands of Russians and remains an attractive destination for Russian companies seeking to enter the regional market,” the Russian Business Council said in a statement. Furthermore it.
Alexei Posev, general manager of INCONA, an entrepreneurial consultancy in Russia and the UAE, and the Russian food house operator, said Russian manufacturers have the capabilities to meet the demands of the UAE food market.
With the support of the Russian Food House in Dubai, the two sides could plan for further expansion into other GCC markets, said Bousseev, who is also the chairman of the Russian-UAE Committee at the Moscow Chamber of Commerce, noting that the Russian Food House was opened earlier this year. To promote Russian food products in the UAE and GCC markets linking Russian companies with UAE companies interested in buying products such as sweets, cereals, soft drinks, baby food, beef and chicken.
About 12 to 15 million Muslims live in Russia, which creates a huge demand for halal food inside the country, he said. In Russia.
Speaking about Russia’s export ambitions in the region, Kirill Pushkarev, head of the press department, said