Promoting Agri Products and Agri-tech startups in BRICS’, says of COFCO Corp
Addressing a session on ‘Strengthening Trade by reducing non-tariff barriers and building resilient supply chains in BRICS’, during the ‘BRCIS Business Forum 2026’, Industry representatives from BRICS countries discussed practical approaches to reducing non-tariff barriers, strengthening supply chain connectivity, leveraging industrial complementarities, and improving logistics to strengthen trade and economic partnership among BRICS economies.
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) compiled the views following the BRICS Forum in a release on 14 Sept.
José Serrador, Global Vice President, Embraer (Brazil) said aviation is a truly global sector, and unlocking its potential within BRICS requires better market access and fewer trade barriers. “We must move from identifying barriers to actionable recommendations and implementation, translating the work of the BRICS Business Council and Trade & Investment Working Group into concrete business opportunities, stronger trade and greater investment.”
Harsh Pati Singhania, Chair, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) said MSMEs account for around 60 per cent of global employment, yet their share of global trade remains much smaller. Access to finance, documentation and non-tariff barriers continue to hold them back. Interoperable standards and secure digital trade documents can reduce costs and enhance trade flows. Across BRICS, governments can help unlock this potential by harmonising standards and interoperable systems.
Mtho Xulu, President, South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) and Founding CEO & Executive Director, JSX Investments (Pty) Ltd (South Africa) said the BRICS Business Council has more than a decade of data and insights that can help governments understand what businesses face on the ground. We need to institutionalise this public-private dialogue and use experiences to shape trade, investment and logistics policies.
Beat Simon, COO, Global Logistics, DP World (UAE) said resilient supply chains require alternative routes, strong logistics infrastructure and the ability to adapt quickly. For BRICS, the next step is to combine physical connectivity with seamless trade facilitation, so that goods can move faster, even when traditional routes are disrupted.
Luciana Brum, Head of Foreign Relations, Vale (Brazil) said BRICS presents significant opportunities despite the challenges facing global trade. “Strengthening connectivity and exploring alternative energy solutions—from biofuels in shipping to new pathways for the energy transition—can create more resilient, sustainable and integrated trade networks across BRICS markets,” she added.
The session was moderated by Parikshit Luthra, Director, Policy and Government Partnerships, The Convergence Foundation.
Addressing the session on ‘Promoting Agri Products and Agri-tech startups in BRICS’, Chen Gang, Vice President, COFCO Corporation, Chair of BRICS Business Council Agri-business Working Group (Cooperation and Development Department) (China) said “BRICS has a significant opportunity to build a more resilient and sustainable agri-food ecosystem by combining our strengths in technology, expertise and market access.”
Sagar Kaushik, Chair, BRICS Business Council Agri-business Working Group, UPL Limited (India) said BRICS already has a strong foundation of agri-tech startups; the opportunity now is to connect these capabilities across countries and move from best practices to joint pilots and Centres of Excellence.
Andrey Guryev, Chair, BRICS Business Council (Russia) and President, Russian Association of Fertilizer Producers (Russia) said food security is a shared BRICS priority, with member economies accounting for a significant share of the world’s population and food production. Securing resilient supply chains will require stronger trade, logistics and technology cooperation across BRICS.
Busisiwe Mabuza, Chair, BRICS Business Council (South Africa) & Former Board Member, Industrial Development Corporation (South Africa) said sharing knowledge is the foundation for meaningful cooperation among BRICS countries.
Ahmad Al Hassan, CEO & MD, GCC Region, DP World (UAE) said Integrated agri-logistics hubs provide the infrastructure businesses need to scale efficiently, while reducing time, risk and losses at every stage of movement. For BRICS, greater alignment on customs and digital certifications can unlock significant value in food trade.
Dr Vikramjit Singh Sahney, Member, BRICS Business Council (India) and Chairman, Sun International Ltd moderated the session.
The third Session on ‘Unlocking Intra-BRICS Trade in Services: New Pathways for Growth and Cooperation’ explored ways to expand intra-BRICS services trade by easing market access barriers, enabling digital delivery and creating opportunities for skilled professionals, MSMEs and startups. Mr Yu Xubo, Chairman, China General Technology (Group) Holding Co. Ltd, Member BRICS Business Council (China) said BRICS can deepen complementarities by promoting coordination and recognition of standards, strengthening trade facilitation, developing products and business models through integrated value chains and technology transfer and promoting joint training of medical professionals
Dr Kenenisa Lemi, Secretary General, Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations (ECCSA) (Ethiopia) said MSMEs must be active participants in BRICS trade and value chains; only then will deeper integration have real meaning. “We need to move beyond connectivity between countries to connectivity between companies.”
Aryaman Vikram Birla, Director, Aditya Birla Group, Member BRICS Business Council (India) said services are an increasingly important part of trade, if not more. Digital technologies can help make KYC and customs requirements more seamless across countries.
Anindya N Bakrie, Chair, BRICS Business Council (Indonesia), Chairman, Indonesia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) and CEO, Bakrie Brothers Tbk (Indonesia) said, “With tourism as an important area of cooperation, a BRICS Connectivity Card could further strengthen people-to-people and business links across our markets.”
Dr Majid Ghassemi, Chair, BRICS Business Council (Iran), and CEO, Bank of Pasargad (Iran) said Deeper services trade requires stronger financial connectivity, resilient supply chains and enabling frameworks.
John Denton, Secretary General, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) said trade in services represents a huge opportunity for BRICS, but entrenched fragmentation remains a key barrier. “We need stronger connectivity and practical cooperation—including greater mobility, recognition of professional qualifications and the ability for data to move across borders.”
Nilachal Mishra, Partner and Head – Government & Public Sector, KPMG India moderated the session.
Session on ‘Women in Business: Driving Partnerships across BRICS Economies’ the speakers highlighted that as BRICS economies seek to deepen economic integration and expand intra-group trade, women-led enterprises represent a powerful yet under-leveraged driver of growth, innovation, and cross-border collaboration. Monica Monteiro, Chairperson, BRICS Women’s Business Alliance (Brazil) and Senior Executive Advisor to the Presidency, CNBC Brazil (Brazil) said today, we women have already built strong connections across the BRICS business community.
Dr Zhao Haiying, Chairperson, BRICS Women’s Business Alliance (China) said Women’s economic cooperation within BRICS must move from dialogue to tangible action. We need a business-friendly policy environment, stronger connections between markets, and better access to finance and technology.
Marianne Ghali, Chairperson, BRICS WBA (Egypt) and Managing Director, Qalaa Holdings (Egypt) said women are already in every business. We are processing, packaging and exporting. But because of the size of our small enterprises, we are not always able to perform at our full potential. We want to create platforms that aggregate these small businesses into something larger – giving women scale, access to markets and the opportunity to create value chains across BRICS.
Zahra Rahaie, Chairperson, BRICS Women’s Business Alliance (Iran), and Founder & CEO Navak Chemipakhsh (Iran) said the opportunity lies in building complementary partnerships across BRICS, connecting supply chains, harmonising standards and creating natural matchmaking opportunities that converge into real business.
Anna Nesterova, Chairperson, BRICS Women’s Business Alliance (Russia) and Development Founder of Watchmaking Manufactury, Palekh Watch (Russia) said there are no limits for Russian and BRICS women entrepreneurs. We are represented even in sectors traditionally seen as male-dominated. What matters now is not only identifying priority sectors, but helping women find international partners, develop their projects and scale their businesses.
Lebogang Zulu, Chairperson BRICS Women’s Business Alliance (South Africa) and CEO, AV Group (South Africa) said MSMEs are the engines of growth, and with women leading a significant share of these enterprises, empowering women entrepreneurs is central to inclusive economic development.
Avarna Jain, Chairperson, BRICS Women’s Business Alliance and Vice Chairperson, Saregama India and Chairperson, RPSG Lifestyle Media moderated the session.
Session 5 on ‘Powering the Future: Digital Economy and Innovation in BRICS’ explored how digital public infrastructure, innovation-led startups and cross-border digital trade could strengthen economic cooperation and collaboration in emerging technologies across BRICS.
Ziaad Suleman, Chair, Digital Economy Working Group, South Africa Chapter, BRICS Business Council (South Africa) remarked that a strong digital economy can be a powerful enabler of deeper economic cooperation across BRICS. But unlocking its full potential requires connectivity that is affordable, accessible and inclusive.
Alexander Vedyakhin, First Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board, Sberbank, highlighted Sberbank’s experience in the area of digital economy by noting that with AI embedded across around 90% of processes, the bank is seeing tangible improvements in time, efficiency and costs. The experience demonstrates how AI can move from experimentation to measurable commercial impact.
Dr Shahab Javanmardy, CEO, FANAP ICT Holding Co. stated the digital economy is creating new possibilities for businesses to access markets and build partnerships across borders. For BRICS, the next step is to make national digital systems work together while keeping individual country regulations.
Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder & CEO, Paytm (India) shared his perspective on rapid advances in digital technologies.
Tejpreet Singh Chopra, Founder & CEO of Bharat Light & Power Group (BLP) moderated the session.
During the BRCIS Business Forum 2026 over 750 B2Bs were organized. Fiinews.com
