First cargo train sent to Russia within Agroexpress project

By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijan has sent the first train with persimmon cargo to Russia within the "Agroexpress" project, the Economy Ministry has reported.

Some 1,000 tons of persimmons loaded into 17 wagons were shipped to Moscow's Selyatino station.

The representatives of the Economy Ministry, the State Customs Committee, Azerbaijan Railways, the Russian Embassy in Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijan-Russian business council, the Russian export center and entrepreneurs attended the event.

Russian Ambassador Mikhail Bocharnikov noted the high level of Azerbaijani-Russian political and economic relations and stressed the role of the Agroexpress project in expanding economic and trade relations between the two countries.

Noting that Azerbaijan and Russia are friendly and strategic partner countries, Deputy Economy Minister Sahib Mammadov stressed that the two countries cooperate on a number of platforms. He emphasized that this project, which is a successful result of joint activities between the two countries, will contribute to the development of trade, transport and transit capacity and support the development of entrepreneurship.

Russian Railways Logistics general-director Dmitry Murev noted that railway transportation of agricultural products has a number of advantages compared to other modes of transport.

"Railway transportation of agricultural products compared to other modes of transport is profitable, fast and convenient," he said.

Stating that the competitiveness of export goods is largely provided by effective schemes for their transportation and distribution, Roseximbank JSC board chairman Azer Talybov noted that the Agroexpress project achieves exactly this goal and promotes Russian agricultural products on foreign markets.

"The development of such integrated logistics services on the routes of the North-South in the near future will allow Russian producers to expand cooperation with the countries of the Caspian Basin, the Persian Gulf and South Asia", he said.

To recall, on December 16, Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev announced Azerbaijan's participation in the project "Agroexpress", speaking at the conference "the current state and prospects of the Russian-Azerbaijani economic relations in the context of integration processes".

Azerbaijan and Russia have mutual cooperation in different fields, such as economy, agriculture, customs, communications, high technology, and others. More than 230 intergovernmental and intercompany documents have been signed between the two countries and six "road maps" are being implemented.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Russia amounted to $2.9 billion in 2021, making Russia Azerbaijan’s third-largest partner.