Liaozhong's long purple eggplant gets 'visa' to Russia

Liaozhong long purple eggplant won a long-term supply contract with Russia, helping it enter Russian market possible, according to Liaozhong county's foreign trade and economic cooperation bureau in Liaoning province.

For its delicious taste and long-term preservation, Liaozhong long purple eggplant has enjoyed great popularity in various agricultural expos at home and abroad.

Currently, the total plant area of long purple eggplant is as much as 13,000 hectares, with an annual yield of 120,000 metric tons. The output value per year has reached as much as 250 million yuan ($40.75 million).

The export of eggplant is not the only case. Food producers from Liaozhong county in Liaoning province have reported a steep rise in orders from Russia as a result of the year-long ban on Western goods announced in August by Moscow.

Russia has imposed the one-year embargo on meat, fish, dairy, fruit and vegetables from the EU, US, Canada, Australia and Norway in retaliation for Western sanctions over Russia's role in the Ukraine crisis.

According to the latest figures released by Liaozhong county, 30,000 metric tons of its locally grown pink Hanfu apples, for instance, worth 800 million yuan ($131 million) were included in total food orders worth 2.2 billion yuan from Russian importers last month.

Also on the Russian shopping list were 1.16 billion yuan worth of rice and 128.4 million yuan worth of vegetables.

Zhang Guoying, director of Liaozhong county's foreign trade and economic cooperation bureau, said that Liaozhong fruit and vegetable producers are now applying for a much larger supply contract with the province's foreign trade office.

"Russia's political tensions with the EU and US are a very good opportunity for us," said Zhang, "and we are seizing the opportunity to develop trade for our agricultural products."

Zhang said the proximity of the two markets; efficient transportation and the sheer size of the Russian market mean a bright future for Liaozhong goods.