The issue of expanding the list of regions able to export wheat, corn, rice, soybeans and rapeseed to China was raised at the meeting of the Russian-Chinese Permanent Working Group on cooperation in the field of animal and plant quarantine and food safety held in St. Petersburg.

In the framework of the dialogue, Russia was invited to provide the necessary data for phytosanitary analyses required by China. Foreign colleagues promised to provide a response as soon as possible after receiving the necessary data.

In addition, the General State Administration for Quality Control, Inspection and Quarantine of China (AQSIQ) has already launched the process of issuing permits for the export of Russian barley to the Chinese market.

Earlier Minister of Agriculture Alexander Tkachev assessed the prospects of the Chinese market for the export of Russian agricultural products as very high. Supplies of grain only in 2016 may reach 500,000 tons.