On March 19, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov took part in a roundtable session “Agriculture and the food industry” within the framework of the 6th Russia-Japan Investment Forum.

Participants of the roundtable discussed the present-day situation and prospects in the sphere of agricultural trade, investment potential of both countries in the agricultural sector. The development of regions based on Russia-Japan cooperation in the agricultural sphere was also touched upon at the roundtable.

Speaking at the roundtable session, Rustam Minnikhanov agreed that investments in the agricultural sector give good impetus to the Far East development. However, regions situated in the European part of Russia, such as Tatarstan, should be not less interesting than other Russian regions for Japanese partners due to its favourable geographic location, Tatarstan President continued.

The regional infrastructure, high-speed rail, road and waterways, and availability of all necessary resources create the most comfortable conditions for foreign investors to do business in Tatarstan.

“The history of cooperation between Tatarstan and Japan is based on petrochemistry, oil refining and machine-building industry,” Rustam Minnikhanov noted. “Cattle breeding, plant cultivation and agricultural processing are the areas that could become new vectors of our mutually beneficial partnership,” Tatarstan President added. In particular, he told about an investment project on the construction of production facilities for deep processing of oilseed rape, being implemented in Tatarstan.

Rustam Minnikhanov assured that all conditions for long-term mutually beneficial cooperation for the benefit of both countries will be provided for Japanese businessmen in Tatarstan.