Sri Lanka seeks to boost seafood exports to Russia
– Sri Lanka is seeking to expand exports of high-quality marine products, including tuna, prawns and crabs, to the Russian market, Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar said.He made the remarks during a meeting with Russian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Levan S. Dzhagaryan at the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources today.The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in fisheries, maritime trade and economic relations, with particular attention to increasing access for Sri Lankan seafood products to the Russian market.
The two sides discussed international quality standards, food safety requirements and health certification procedures applicable to fish and seafood exports to Russia. They also explored practical measures to address challenges affecting bilateral maritime trade and commercial cooperation. Minister Chandrasekar highlighted the potential for Sri Lanka to use Russian technology, fishing vessels and specialized equipment to modernize its deep-sea fishing sector. He stressed the need for modern technology to reduce post-harvest losses and maintain the quality of marine catches.The discussions also covered the possibility of attracting Russian investment and technical assistance to modernize fishing harbours, improve cold-storage facilities and strengthen infrastructure for handling and preserving marine products.
Ambassador Dzhagaryan reaffirmed Russia’s interest in expanding economic and trade cooperation with Sri Lanka, including greater market access for Sri Lankan seafood and increased investment and technical cooperation in the fisheries sector.The two sides also discussed strengthening cooperation between research institutions to assess fish stocks within Sri Lanka’s maritime boundaries, promote sustainable fishing practices and protect marine resources.They further explored Russian support for technical training, knowledge-sharing and capacity-building programs for Sri Lankan fishermen and fisheries officials, with both sides expressing interest in expanding cooperation in technology, expertise and skills development.
