FAS held a meeting with the Association of European Business

On 9 February 2017, Deputy Head of FAS Andrey Tsyganov had a meeting with representatives of the Seed Producers Committee of the Association of European Business.

The meeting focused on the prevalence of foreign-bred seeds of some crops in the Russian market. Economic concentration on the relevant world market was discussed. Global mergers in the sector will lead to changes in the market structure, which can ultimately affect consumers.

According to Andrey Tsyganov, the share of imported seeds in domestic agriculture is rather significant, depending on a particular crop. FAS is heavily concerned with dependence of Russian agrarian market on foreign suppliers in the most vulnerable part of the food products chain. It put s task for FAS to develop competition on the market in question.

FAS representatives and European companies operating in the sector reached consensus on the need to pursue a dialogue, particularly, to devise a methodology of accounting domestic and foreign seeds and their quality standards.

Andrey Tsyganov emphasized that it is unacceptable for FAS when approaches of transnational corporations on Russian market are contrary to the practice of those companies on the markets of the EC and the USA.

He added that following the instructions from the Government of the Russian Federation FAS is developing 2017-2018 Road Maps for some sectors of Russian economy including the agro-industrial complex. In this connection, the Association’s proposals designed to improve the investment attractiveness of Russian market of seeds and plant protectors through eliminating excessive barriers can be used in a relevant Road Map.