Visitors at the Korean pavilion taste Korean food at the Prod Expo 2020 that took place in Moscow from Feb. 10 to Feb. 14. (Photos: aT)

Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp. (aT) participated in the Prod Expo 2020 that took place in Moscow from Feb. 10 to Feb. 14.

aT highlighted fresh agricultural produce such as apples, pears and mushrooms, as well promising export items such smoked duck and makgeolli (Korean rice wine) in cooperation with 18 Korean exporting companies.

In particular, Korean exhibitors were engaged in active sales activities as an increasing number of buyers were seeking to find alternatives to Chinese produce, being the target of avoidance due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.They reaped 366 trading deals worth a combined about $57 million.

A Russian logistics company official said safety management tended to get tighter, like imposing restrictions against Chinse tangerine imports, which took effect on Jan. 6, 2020.

Meanwhile, aT invited Russian opinion leaders to publicize Korean exhibitors’ news products via social network services and offered on-site consulting services, tailored according to each export item, by invited experts on Russia’s stringent quarantine and customs procedures. aT supplied hand cleaning agents and masks during trade negotiations to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Shin Hyun-gon, aT director in charge of exports, said, “Korea will accelerate efforts to explore the ‘New Northern’ country market by holding events to publicize Korean agricultural produce via MOSCOW K-Food Fair slated for May and Eurasia K-Food Expedition slated for June in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Korean-Russian diplomatic ties this year.”

Prospective Russian flower buyers crowd the “K-Flower Consumer Experience” event at a large shopping mall in Vladivostok, Russia.

aT Hosts Event to Promote Korean Flowers in Valdivostok

At hosted the “K-Flower Consumer Experience” event to promote Korean flowers at a large shopping mall in Vladivostok, Russia, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, which fell on March 8.

International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.

Russian women visitors were given the chance to receive Korean rose bouquets, a “K-Flower” photo zone was installed within the shopping center, and diverse events like an SNS hash-tag event took place. They receive a good reception from the visitors.

Korean flowers were exported in the Russian area, centering around the Far Eastern Russian region, but they were halted in the wake of a Russian economic crisis in 2014.

Russia is a big global flower market, which imported flowers worth $544.91million from 47 countries last year. Russia has emerged as one of Korea’s promising floricultural export markets.