Information for fruit and vegetables business in CIS
How will Russia's entry into WTO affect apple market?
According to Fruit-Inform, in the past 5 years, Russia has been steadily increasing apple imports at the average rate of 10% per year. The season 2010/11 was the only exception when imports for the first time decreased rather significantly because of poor crop in the EU countries. In this season, the market participants expect a further record in apple imports favored by Russia's entry into the WTO. We would remind you that Russia's import duties on almost all fruits and vegetables will decrease rather sharply according to the WTO agreements. As regards apples, the import duties on them will allegedely be almost halved.
At the same time, European exporters are cautious in commenting advantages of Russia's membership of the WTO for them. The suppliers say of prices to depend much on customs reference prices. Furthermore, many are worried about forecasts of devaluation of the Russian rouble. We would remind you that it was devaluation of the national currency to protect the Ukrainian market from mass apple imports from Poland in 2008, after a sharp decrease in the import duties connected with Ukraine's entry into the WTO.
More information about changes in the alignment of forces on the apple markets in Russia and Ukraine in this season taking into account Russia's entry into the WTO will be presented at the 2nd International Conference “Apple Business of Ukraine & Russia – 2012”.
The event sponsored by Fito-Mag and Bayer CropScience will be held on August 9-10, 2012, President Hotel, Kiev, Ukraine. To register your participation, please fill out an application form available here.
For more information about the conference, please follow this link, or contact International Relations Department of Fruit-Inform:
Ievgen Kuzin
phone: +380 (562) 321595, ext. - 341
cell: +380 96 5836323
email: [email protected]