Serbian companies will present the potentials of Serbia's food industry at the 19th International Exhibition for Food, Beverages and Food Raw Materials PRODEXPO which will be held in Moscow from February 13 to 17, Vice President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS) Mihailo Vesovic announced.

He noted that the Serbian stand will showcase 12 companies from the agricultural and food industry, as well as fruit and vegetable processing, confectionery which are said to be the leaders in the export to the Russian market.

PKS President Milos Bugarin will head the Serbian economic delegation comprising companies such as Zdravo Organic-Selenca, Class Comerc- Paracin. ITN-Belgrade, Pionir-Subotica, Aretol-Novi Sad, Venac-Stara Pazova, Master Frigo-Belgrade, Frigo Zika Soko-Ruma, Banini-Kikinda, Promount Group-Novi Sad, PIK Becej - Becej, Aleva-Novi Knezevac.

Vesovic underscored that the greatest hike in export of Serbian products to the Russian market was recorded with agricultural and food products while apples constitute the most important export product. According to PKS data, Serbia exported food products worth over USD 160 million to the Russian market, of which the export of apples reached USD 60 million and recorded 35 per cent increase relative to 2010.

Vesovic said that although the exchange between the two countries is on the rise, there is great room for additional hikes in Serbia's export to Russia, but this also calls for wider scope of local production. Total exchange between Serbia and Russia in 2011 reached almost USD 3.3 billion, which is 22 per cent more than in 2010.

The PRODEXPO 2012 will be held under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, with the support of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture. The trade fair will bring together 2,200 companies from 60 countries, and leading world companies account for 80 percent of exhibitors.