Russia has broken into the world’s top 10 chocolate exporters for the first time, surpassing Switzerland’s famed chocolatiers for the value of products sold abroad, according to UN trade data.
Russia exported $839 million worth of chocolate in the year to September 2021, ITC Trademap and UN Comtrade data cited by the Russian Association of Confectionery Producers, compared to Switzerland’s $819 million.
China and countries in the Russia-led Eurasian Customs Union trade bloc — which consists of Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan — were the largest buyers of Russian goods, the association told the Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper.
Russia had to export almost three times as much chocolate in volume terms to pass Switzerland, given the much higher prices commanded by manufacturers in the Alpine country.
Industry figures said Russian confectionery manufacturing is growing strongly, with exports set to rise 19% this year and come in almost a third higher than pre-coronavirus levels.
Russian authorities have previously accused Western chocolate manufacturers of selling poorer quality products in Russia than in their home markets.
