Governor of the Kamchatka Region Vladimir Solodov called on the public sector to abandon the purchase of imported fish in order to increase domestic demand for Russian products. He expressed this suggestion at the “Ocean – Evolution of Fisheries and Consumption” session within the Eastern Economic Forum.
“As an initiative here, I propose the participation of the whole society in the draft program to increase the consumption of domestic fish, which we are currently preparing in line with the instructions of the president. I think we need to use the mechanisms we have to increase consumption for public sector procurement. In general, I believe that the public sector in Russia should not purchase fish of imported origin,” said Vladimir Solodov.
Vladimir Solodov said that increasing fish consumption within the country is a strategically important task.
The head of the region also shared the opinion that Russian fish, be it pollock or pink salmon, are healthier than imported pangasius or tilapia.
The governor also noted that it is important to consider the risks associated with pricing policy.
He listed government incentives for last-mile fish processing and deep processing, as well as creating a culture of fish consumption, among possible measures to stimulate demand.
The EEF traditionally discusses issues related to key industries for the region’s economy. Sessions for the fishing industry are also held annually.
This year the fishing industry related event “Ocean – evolution of fishing and consumption”, “Far East in ten years: what happened and what needs to be done?” featured on his blog.