The Arkhangelsk Oblast of the Russian Federation is looking to increase trade with Azerbaijan, and has already started making efforts in this direction. The region's retailers are said to be interested in importing large quantities of southern fruit and vegetables.
The Oblast’s governor Igor Orlov held negotiations in Baku with Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev of Azerbaijan.
"We are visiting Azerbaijan for the first time with a business mission, and it is already obvious that we have a huge potential for mutually beneficial cooperation. New possibilities, new markets, new spheres of application of forces, and we need to use the to the maximum extent in the interests of the residents of the Arkhangelsk Oblast and Azerbaijan," Orlov said in Baku.
He estimates that mutually beneficial cooperation can be achieved in industries like agriculture.
The Oblast Agro-Industrial Complex & Trade Minister's Deputy, Irina Bazhanova, pointed to the possibility of increasing foreign trade turnover with Azerbaijan, especially in terms of imports.
"The Oblast has large retail trade systems which are interested in supplies of southern fruits and vegetables. Statistics do not reflect reality. There are fruits and vegetables on the shelves, but in figures these products are not reflected: their import is carried out through the mediator regions. We’re looking for a solution to enable us to organize direct supplies of Azerbaijani fruits and vegetables to the Oblast. By Excluding the middle-men, we reduce the mark-up on the product," Bazhanov emphasized.
