The Pakistani produce industry is hopeful a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed with Russian authorities to export crops to the northern nation, which has banned competing produce items from western growing regions including the European Union.

Website Dawn.com reported a group of 20 Pakistani exporters recently visited Russia, where they met with Federal Services Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance of the Russian Federation (Rosselkhoznadzor).

Pakistan Fruit, Vegetables Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA) co-chairman Waheed Ahmed told the publication the mission was a success.

The industry representative highlighted potatoes as a key produce export item likely to benefit from the proposed deal, along with other agricultural crops, however interested companies would need to meet all of Moscow's quarantine demands.

He said many Pakistani exporters are willing to export potato and other agricultural products to Russia in view of the Russian ban on the same thing from EU. However, they needed to follow the quarantine demands of Moscow besides allowing more firms to export to the Russian market.

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