USSEC attended one of Russia’s largest industrial exhibitions, the XXIInd International Industrial Trade Fair, "MVC: Cereals - Mixed Feeds - Veterinary - 2017” on January 30 and 31 in the All-Russia Exhibition Center of Peoples’ Achievements in Moscow. Since 1996, this particular trade fair has become an undisputed authority and one of the largest professional forums in the world where experts gather to share and exchange new ideas and knowledge, build long-term relationships, and sign contracts. More than 400 exhibitors represented 26 countries and 40 regions of Russia at the event.

The exhibition was accompanied by a diversified business program including international conferences, seminars, and workshops devoted to different aspects of feed supplies and production, nutritional parameters of different feed additives and modern feeding programs, livestock production, feed market status and development, oilseed and meal supplies, and veterinary issues, among others.
The USSEC consultants participated at two key events of the program, giving presentations featuring the usage of soy for different feeding applications and demonstrating the nutritional benefits of U.S. Soy.

More than 120 people attended the USSEC presentation and follow-up discussions. Dr. Jan van Eys answered a number of questions proving the availability of soy proteins for aquaculture diets. Despite the modest level of current aquaculture and fish farming in Russia, this area has a very high potential for development in the next few years. Domestic production of Hi-Pro soybean meal and soy protein concentrate (SPC), which was started by the Sodrugestvo group in Kaliningrad, coupled with a shortage and a rise in fish meal prices has increased the interest of local feed producers to alternative protein sources derived from soybeans.

Russia already ranks fifth in the world in pork production and is expected to grow further over the next several years.
One day of the Moscow visit was devoted to meeting and consulting with local customers at the booth of Sodrugestvo group, which offered the opportunity to further explain the advantages of U.S. Soy and soy in general in poultry, aqua, and swine rations.
Sodrugestvo is the largest soybean crushing company in Russia and the former Soviet Union region. The company is the largest buyer of U.S. soybeans in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). In MY16, it imported half a million metric tons (MT) of U.S. soybeans. T he company was very disappointed with a temporary suspension for the import of U.S. soybeans imposed by Russia in February 2016 and looks forward to its cancellation.