An international conference dedicated to the development of exports by small and medium-sized companies gathered a record representative office of Russian regions and foreign countries in Omsk.

In Omsk, businessmen and economic experts are discussing how to make the export activities of Russian businesses as efficient as possible.

The participants note that in modern economic realities, export development is one of the few tools for increasing profits and turnover that Russian companies have in their arsenal. However, the process of foreign economic activity is fraught with many difficulties, which are difficult for small and medium-sized businesses to overcome without the help and assistance of the authorities, primarily due to small production volumes.

Entrepreneurs and experts from different countries will decide how to ensure that small businesses enter foreign markets with minimal risks and maximum efficiency within two days of work in Omsk.

The event brought together a record number of representatives from Russian regions and foreign countries during such conferences. Delegates from 60 regions of the Russian Federation and 14 countries gathered in the Omsk region to discuss issues relevant to business. There will be a serious discussion about mechanisms to improve the climate for export-oriented entrepreneurship in Russia.

Welcoming the participants of the international conference, Omsk Region Governor Viktor Nazarov noted that export development is one of the most important areas of Russian economic policy today. "Exporters are the most advanced and active organizations that are able to compete not only with colleagues within the country, but also with foreign companies. As practice shows, they are more stable in development, pay serious taxes and constantly improve their products," said the head of the region. At the same time, Viktor Nazarov noted, the Omsk region is an illustrative example of a non-resource development model. "The Omsk economy is a diversified, developing complex, the largest area of which is industry. In this regard, the structure of regional exports is diverse. Having no natural hydrocarbon reserves, our region is an illustrative example of a non-resource development model. More than 75% of exports are industrial products with high added value," Viktor Nazarov emphasized.

About 500 enterprises are engaged in foreign economic activity in the Omsk region. Cooperation has been established with companies from 89 countries around the world. The leading partners are Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the USA, Belarus, Germany, China, and Turkey. Over the past two years, the region's enterprises have been actively exploring the markets of China, Iran, and the Asia-Pacific region. Ties with the CIS countries are strengthening every year, especially within the framework of the EAEU.

The regional Government provides substantial assistance to entrepreneurs in business development and the development of promising markets. Participation in forums, fairs, and business missions at international venues is a key tool for promoting foreign markets. Cooperation with the Russian Export Center allows you to support export-oriented companies from the initial contact to the stage of delivery of goods outside the country.

The regional export support center makes a significant contribution to the development of foreign economic relations. By researching potential export destinations and the requirements of foreign buyers for product quality, he helps small and medium-sized companies enter foreign markets, find reliable partners and conclude profitable contracts. This year alone, with his assistance, 40 foreign economic contracts have been signed for the supply of products to 18 countries. Governor Viktor Nazarov is convinced that such effective work of regional export centers should be continued with the support of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development.

Oleg Fomichev, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, believes that today, amid the economic crisis and declining demand in Russia, exports are becoming a necessity for Russian companies. To help entrepreneurs, the federal government has created a number of structures to support them. The State Secretary also said that a network of trading houses is currently being actively formed on the basis of Trade missions of the Russian Federation, which operate in 50 countries around the world. The direct purpose of trading houses is to facilitate the export of products from domestic enterprises to local markets. 

The export potential of the region was presented at the conference by Oksana Fadina, Minister of Economy of the Omsk Region. Twenty years ago, the region's economy was dominated by the military-industrial complex and the agro-industrial complex, and the possibility of conducting foreign economic activity was practically excluded, but today the region's enterprises cooperate with more than 90 countries around the world. "The Omsk Region's annual foreign trade turnover is more than $1 billion. The volume of exports in ruble terms increased 1.5 times in the Omsk region last year, and by more than 65% to neighboring countries. In 2016, a small, but still growing, export volume in ruble terms is projected. Our task is to continue increasing foreign trade turnover and diversifying exports of regional products," Oksana Fadina emphasized.