On 23 September, Dmitry Patrushev, Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation chaired the 10th
Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Agriculture and Agrarian Development via videoconference.
The Agriculture Ministers discussed the impact
of the pandemic on food
production and agriculture, as well as current cooperation
in agriculture.
“Our countries have the best resource base. The
area of cultivated agricultural lands in the BRICS countries makes up almost 40
percent of the world’s cultivated land. This has facilitated the turning of the
agro-industrial complex into a strategic industry in all BRICS countries. We
are the biggest producers of agricultural products, providing almost 40 percent
of global production,” Dmitry Patrushev said, noting the complementary
nature of the BRICS economies.
According to Mr Patrushev, the BRICS countries
have considerable potential for strengthening their position in the global
agricultural market and providing uninterrupted supplies with a view to
ensuring global food security.
Mr Patrushev expressed support for the meeting participants
in connection with the challenges and losses caused by the spread of the novel
coronavirus. Speaking about the Russian experience, the Minister noted that
during the quarantine restrictions, the Russian agro-industrial complex saw a
certain decline in its business activities. Nevertheless, the peak of the
crisis passed easier than expected, and the economic situation improved in
June.
The Minister emphasized that Russia is
interested in further increasing trade with other BRICS countries. “Our mutual
turnover is steadily growing – it has almost doubled in value since 2010. Such
growth shows the increase in the commercial appeal of the national agricultural
markets and the reduction of tariff and technical barriers. We need to look for
new points of growth for developing intra-BRICS trade. In particular, granting
a most favoured nation status and the removal of trade barriers in veterinary
and phyto-sanitary control areas may present additional opportunities,” Mr
Patrushev said.
Following the meeting, the participants adopted a Joint Declaration of the 10th Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Agriculture and Agrarian Development, which reflects the issues of facilitating trade and investment, using digital technologies for sustainable development in the agricultural sector, fulfilling the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as implementing international programmes on food security, nutrition and support for the vulnerable groups.
The Roscongress Foundation, a socially oriented non-financial
development institution and a major organiser of
international conventions, congress, exhibitions, business, social and
sporting, public, and cultural events, is in charge of organising events as part of the Russian Federation’s
chairmanship in the BRICS association.
Official website of the Russian Federation’s chairmanship: brics-russia2020.ru.