Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov: Halal products are one of the priority export areas

On February 22, at the Kazan City Hall, speaking at a meeting held by Russian Minister of Agriculture Dmitry Patrushev on planned output and exports of argo-industrial products, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov suggested making the annual Halal Expo Exhibition a federal platform.

Deputy Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Volga Federal District Aleksey Kuzmitsky, representatives of the regions of the Volga Federal District, including Udmurtia, Mordovia, Mari El, the Chuvash Republic, the Republic of Bashkortostan, Orenburg, Penza, Kirov, Saratov regions, people’s deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, representatives of federal and regional authorities took part in the meeting.

“Such meetings are a good opportunity to discuss topical issues of the agro-industrial complex and the expansion of export potential. This is precisely the task that Russian President Vladimir Putin has set,” Minnikhanov said. “Agriculture is one of the key sectors of the economy of Tatarstan and together with the food industry accounts for 13.3 per cent of the gross regional product of the republic. In terms of gross agricultural output, the republic is among the leaders of the country's entities, and ranks first in the Volga Federal District. Occupying 9 per cent of the farmland of the district, the republic produces 19 per cent of its gross agricultural output. ”

For several years, Tatarstan has confidently maintained the status of the leader in milk production, Minnikhanov emphasized.

Tatarstan is an active participant in foreign economic activity. In 2018, the foreign trade turnover of the republic increased by 12 per cent, amounting to 19.2 billion US dollars. “The main part is products of the oil industry, oil refining, petrochemical industry, machine building, but we believe that the potential of the agro-industrial complex has great prospects,” Minnikhanov continued.

Today Tatarstan cooperates with more than 160 countries, having representative offices abroad. “We are aimed at the unconditional fulfillment of the task set to double exports of agricultural products by 2024. I think that we need not to double, but to increase exports by three or four times,” Minnikhanov clarified.

“Halal products are one of the priority export areas,” Minnikhanov said. “We are actively working to expand economic ties with the Islamic world.”

For example, Dubai Export Center, United Arab Emirates, helps Tatarstan to train specialists to promote halal products to Islamic markets.

As many as 47 enterprises have been accredited to produce halal products. They can sell these products in the Russian market. However, to enter the international market, we need to join our efforts with the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia to obtain international certification,” said Rustam Minnikhanov.

At the same time, some Tatarstan enterprises are already entering the markets of the Persian Gulf countries, Turkey, and Kazakhstan.

According to Minnikhanov, the annual Halal Expo International Exhibition held as a part of “Russia-Islamic World: Summit Kazasummit” has become an effective platform for developing the halal market potential.