Agro Perspectiva

Russia. Trade mission in Australia looking for meat

16.06.2010 13:49 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) — TWO-day tour of Southern Queensland by Russia’s trade commissioner to Australia could pave the way for greater agricultural and investment ties between the two countries. Russian trade commissioner Yuri Aleshin, who has recently taken up his diplomatic posting in Canberra, visited several agricultural sites on Tuesday and Wednesday including the Roma Saleyards, a Darling Downs grain farm, the Dalby grain-to-ethanol refinery, the GMP kangaroo processing facility at Ipswich and the Swift beef processing facility at Dinmore. The tour was organised and led by AgForce and the Australia-Russia Business Council. Russia has vast swathes of arable but underutilised land and Mr Aleshin said the soviet nation saw Australia as a key potential supplier of not only livestock but agricultural expertise and technology in future. Mr Aleshin said Australian agriculture was highly regarded in Russia and he was keen to investigate ways that both countries could work together to boost agricultural investment. Mr Aleshin described the 10,500 head cattle sale he saw at Roma in particular as «very impressive» and said he saw significant opportunities to boost future trade in the beef industry in particular. "Not just to supply (Australian cattle to Russia) but to establish some sort of joint venture to raise the cattle and then to process and distribute. «We want to establish a whole industry, a beef industry and a dairy industry.» Mr Aleshin’s visit to Queensland was a significant development for Australian agriculture, the vice-president of the Australia-Russia Business Council Luke Fraser said. "This is a very important visit because it will build a relationship. He can now go back first hand and knock on doors in Russia and say what about Australia, he has seen it and he knows the people they can talk to. «Where Russia is going now, they are in APEC, and they are starting to look towards the Pacific so we are becoming an export neighbour and a partner in terms of technology transfer.» AgForce sheep and wool president Brent Finlay said Australia was well positioned to capitalise on investment opportunities with Russia. «Agricultural investment and technology and knowledge transfer is a high priority for post-crisis Russia as the country seeks to improve its food security, promote regional employment and diversity its economy,» Mr Finlay said. Mr Aleshin’s tour finished with a dinner reception in Brisbane hosted by the Queensland Minister for Natural Resources, Mines, Energy and Minister for Trade, Stephen Robertson on Wednesday night.