Russian presence grows at 2017 Seafood Expo Global

In only its second year back at Seafood Expo Global following a prolonged absence from the event, the Russian Federation has made its presence known with an expansion into a much larger exhibit space, 22 of the country’s biggest seafood companies in attendance, and a whirlwind schedule of VIP visits and media events.

The more high-profile approach is an intentional effort to attract attention to the country’s seafood industry, according to Ivan Fetisov, the director of the Russian Pavillion.

“Seafood Expo Global is one of the biggest expos in the world. Our approach is, we are here to mark our presence in the global market,” Fetisov said. 

The Russian companies exhibiting at SEG17 include fishers and sellers of all of Russia’s main fisheries products, including pollock, cod, herring, calamari, perch, haddock, crab, caviar and salmon, he said. 

“It is a great opportunity for the biggest companies in our country to meet clients, raise their profiles and show off their products,” Fetisov said.

In deals made at last year’s event, Russian companies did approximately USD 100 million (EUR 91.8 million) in business; Fetisov said he expected a higher number this year, primarily involving exports of pollock to the European Union the Asia-Pacific region.

Also at this year’s show, the Russian delegation has publicized its meetings with European Commission officials, heads of national delegations from Iceland, Norway and the United Sates, and international fisheries and aquaculture NGOs. High-ranking Russian officials also made their presence known at the show on Wednesday, 26 April, with the Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation and head of the Federal Agency for Fisheries Ilya Shestakov hosting a press conference where he outlined the goals of the Russian fisheries sector.

Shestakov boasted of Russia’s 20-year record catch of 4.8 million tons of seafood in 2016, and said his agency expected a boost of two to three percent in total catch in 2017. He also praised the show, which he said provided a boost to the Russian seafood industry.

“It’s the second time that our country has presented at this expo,” he said through a translator. “Each year the number of our particpants is growing, just as is the catch of the Russian Federation.”