RUSSIA, October 19 - On 19 October, the Manege Central Exhibition Hall hosted the awards ceremony for the winners and runners-up of the Exporter of the Year national competition, bringing together 64 contestants in 20 categories from all over the country.

Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov presented the coveted awards to the best national exporters.

“Russian exporters have stood their ground, to the shock and dismay of our opponents, and they have also managed to expand export volumes, to open new sales channels and to find new partners. In effect, they have overcome all restrictions and barriers. The heroes of this struggle will be mounting the stage today. Thank you very much,” Andrei Belousov noted in his welcoming remarks.

The award recognises organisations and self-employed businesspersons that have been most successful at exporting non-resource and non-energy goods, services, and work, including knowledge work.

Winners of the Exporter of the Year competition were selected during a two-stage process in every federal district. Members of a federal competition board, headed by First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov, selected the best national exporters from among winners of the federal district stage.

The competition, part of the International Cooperation and Exports national project, is organised with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Agriculture.