Published on: 2026-10-11
Source: Moscow Government – Правительства Москвы –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
This year, the Agriculture and Processing Industry Worker’s Day is celebrated on October 11. This sector holds special significance for Moscow. The metropolis has processing enterprises, but the harvest is not grown here. The quality of products directly depends on agricultural producers from other regions.
The city creates conditions for Russian products to reach Muscovites through various logistical routes. Special attention is paid to supplies directly from the producers themselves, allowing city residents to buy fresh products directly from farmers.
Moscow fairs — an entry point for the farmer
The state budgetary institution “Moscow Fairs” helps support local agricultural producers. Participants are provided with free trading places of various types, so that everyone can choose a suitable option without compromising their main work in the fields and production. For example, for selling vegetables and fruits, it is more convenient to occupy spots at weekend fairs: they are open on Fridays and weekends, at peak demand. For selling honey, cheese, meat, and dairy products, interregional fairs are preferable: there are more trading places equipped with refrigeration units.
The project organizers listen to the wishes of the farmers and try to reserve a spot for them if participants arrive at a specific time. This is due to the fact that the outcome of the work directly depends on the season, weather conditions, and production specifics.
For the residents of the Sokolinnaya Gora district, the appearance of Nikolai Melnikov at the fair on Semyonovskaya Square has become a sign of autumn. He brings frost-resistant apple varieties from his family orchard in the Oryol region. In summer, the farmer does not trade, but in autumn he always takes his favorite spot on the street. According to him, there he is visible from all sides, and the apples keep better in the cool.
Another vivid example: at the fair on Orekhovy Boulevard, only recently have they started selling med. This seating arrangement was initiated by the participants themselves, who are engaged in beekeeping products.
Fairs give farmers more than just savings on rent: they provide an opportunity to make a name for themselves, stay informed about industry events, and find restaurant partners who are increasingly seeking quality products directly from producers.
Moscow fair stalls reflect the agricultural calendar
While on average over the year goods from more than 40 regions are presented at Moscow fairs, during the peak season the geography expands — currently there are 56.
Flexible participation conditions allow changing the geography of supplies according to the agricultural calendar. This is convenient both for farmers dependent on the weather and for city dwellers: by changing regions, the fresh vegetable and fruit season is significantly extended. By early spring, frost-resistant apples are still brought in from the central regions of Russia, and by late June, early-ripening fruits already appear in Stavropol and Crimea.
“It’s good that fairs exist — for us, this is significant support. Our vegetables and fruits are stored for shorter periods and are more susceptible to damage, so breaking through to the Moscow buyer without such a project would be much more difficult,” says Svetlana Polyakova from the Tambov region, offering her products at the site near Alma-Atinskaya metro station.
Breeding and modern plant care technologies make it possible to shift the harvest dates. One example is Svetlana Polyakova’s farm: after harvesting, they begin preparations for the new sowing, and already in February they start working on the seedlings.
Heated spring greenhouses allow the farming family to gain time and deliver the first cucumbers to Moscow as early as May. In summer, the berry season begins, mainly strawberries and raspberries. In June, tomatoes ripen, and closer to the end of summer, the selection becomes as wide as possible: corn, eggplants, zucchini. From September, cabbage, carrots, and beets are available. In winter, farmers bring root vegetables, pumpkins, onions, and pickles.
85 percent of food in Moscow is domestically produced
Domestic producers account for 85 percent of all food consumed in the capital. Thanks to them, the city fully supplies itself with sugar, sunflower oil, and buckwheat groats.
Food supplies come to Moscow from 79 regions of the country. Just over half of it comes from the Central Federal District (CFD). This is explained by the convenience of transportation: the short distance allows perishable products to be delivered fresh, as well as saving on transporting goods with a long shelf life.
The regions of the Central Federal District largely supply Moscow with beef, chicken meat, milk and dairy products, flour, and pasta. The second place in terms of supply volumes is held by the southern regions with their fertile lands and warm climate: from there come vegetables, melons, fruits, berries, sugar, and sunflower oil. The top three are rounded out by the Volga region: from this district, wheat, cereals, and finished dairy products are transported to the capital.
The geography of deliveries to the capital is not limited to neighboring districts. Regions with unique products take their niche, such as taiga berries and cedar nuts from Siberia, wild plants from the Far East, fish from Kamchatka and Karelia. Modern freezing and logistics technologies make it possible to deliver almost anything to Moscow, even extremely fragile live sea urchins.
Behind the statistics and logistics chains are real people working on the ground. These include large enterprises supplying the capital with main products, as well as small family farms with unique goods. Moscow needs both segments: without the first, there would be no stable supplies; without the second, the city would lose the gastronomic diversity that has always distinguished it as a trade center. On the Day of the Agricultural and Processing Industry Worker, each of them deserves thanks for their hard work.
More information about the activities of the capital’s Department of Trade and Services — into official channel agencies in the messenger “Max.” More about Russia’s national projects and the capital’s contribution can be found at special page.
A large-scale project is presented on the portal mos.ru special project, dedicated to the development of key sectors of Moscow. Among them are transport, industry, healthcare, education, sports, and the construction industry. The special project helps to learn how the capital has changed over the past years, which initiatives aimed at making the lives of residents even more comfortable are currently being implemented, and what awaits Moscow and its inhabitants in the near future.
On the project page “Economics” you can learn about the main indicators of the capital’s economic growth, its drivers and prospects, as well as which indicators may be achieved in the current year.
Get the latest main news quickly on the official Moscow city channels in messengers “Max” and “Telegram”.
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