The Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PKS) is optimistic about the country's fruit export prospects to Russia now that key European competitors have been blocked out of the market, ITAR-TASS News Agency reported.

Click here for more on events relating to the ban on food imports from a range of countries.

Chamber president Zelijko Sertic told the publication that 768 Serbian companies were exporting their products to regional power, and they have received instructions from Russian authorities about food safety control.

"The Russian market is open for supplies, first of all plums and other agricultural products, as well as dairy products and confectionery," Sertic was quoted as saying.

"It is obvious that Russia will need imports of new products in place of earlier imports.

"The development of livestock breeding is one of priority directions in Serbia, as well as the growing of such cultures as plums, which used to be Serbia’s strong point."

For the moment however, he noted the country's plum production wasn't enough even for production of domestic alcoholic spirit rakia.

In a press release, PKS emphasized the Russian market was still very demanding and exporters had to focus on compliance.

The chamber said food exports to Russia grew by 68% in the first half of the year to reach US$117 million. For apple growers, exports doubled year-on-year to 32,400MT.

Serbia is bordered by four EU countries - Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia and Hungary - and is itself a candidate country for the union along with its neighbors Montenegro, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Albania.

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