EkoNiva Group, the largest milk producing holding in Russia, has been announced the winner in the Launch of the Year: Services for Agricultural Sector category. On 16th October 2023, EkoNiva was the first company in Russia to launch commodity stock auctions for raw cow milk and dairy products, which are organised by the National Commodity Exchange (the NCE is a subsidiary of Moscow Exchange Group).

The trading sessions are carried out online at the NCE on a regular basis in the second half of each month. The sessions are accessible for EkoNiva Group contractors registered on the platform. The Group keeps developing the tool: expands the delivery bases and invites more partners from more Russian regions. EkoNiva is planning to conclude and perform all the spot contracts through the commodity exchange.

As per 1 March 2024, EkoNiva has sold over 5,200 tonnes of raw milk, 40 tonnes of dry skimmed powder and 160 tonnes of butter through the NCE exchange auctions since the launch.

‘The launch of milk trading at the NCE is a bold step for the industry and is perceived as innovation in the exchange trading development. EkoNiva team’s business acumen and determination to excel ensure their progress and further growth. I congratulate my colleagues with the well-deserved accolade – Agroinvestor of the Year, and I’m confident that the project launch is an essential phase in the establishment of a large-scale and liquid agricultural produce exchange market’, commented Nikita Zakharov, Director of the National Commodity Exchange.

‘Stock trading is an effective tool applied by various agricultural producers. We, as the largest raw milk producer, would like this tool to be used wider in our industry. The Agroinestor of the Year award confirms our expectations and as we hope will bring more companies to the NCE platform’, says Mikhail Matveyenko, Deputy Director General of EkoNiva agricultural holding.

The national annual agriculture and food Agroinvestor of the Year award has been held by Agroinvestor magazine since 2019. The award is created for large agricultural holdings and small farms and its mission is to promote entrepreneurship in the farming sector putting the most successful projects and managers in the limelight. The award in the Launch of the Year category is the company’s third victory: in 2021 Stefan Durr, EkoNiva Group President, was announced the Man of the Year; in 2023, EkoNiva Group received an accolade in the Crop Exporter category.