First Deputy Head of Sverdlovsk Region Government Galina Kovaleva conducted a meeting of interdepartmental committee devoted to assisting the local companies in entering the WTO. The agenda of the meeting covered protection of the food market and development of the infrastructure of the region’s foreign economic activity.

‘Quite a few food producers are not ready to operate on the free market. Modern equipment and advanced managerial technologies give our western counterparts a great competitive advantage, whereas Russian producers have to use some obsolete equipment (nearly half of which is in need of replacement) due to lack of circulating assets. Only lately have things actually started getting better; last year, for instance, the food industry received over a billion RUR worth of investments. Yet this is not enough, and the entrance day is coming up,’ said Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Sergey Latskov.

The committee decided to re-consider the introduction of Ural Quality – a regional certificate. Another suggestion was connected with production of GM-components-free foods, since such products are globally known to have much more value to a consumer. The local residents as well as producers give little thought to the whole issue, so most foods at the stores don’t even have any information to that respect on the packaging.

The committee suggested that the regional ministers for trade, catering, services, agriculture and food jointly draw up a plan for development and protection of local food producers. The plan is to be presented to the cabinet, reports the spokesperson for Governor of Sverdlovsk Region.