In the XVII^th century import and export played an active role in formation of economics of Russia. The trade used to take place in winter because of poor road conditions in summer. In summer the main inland transport was river transport.

Russia exported a lot of goods. Copper, lead, iron, bread were exported from Novgorod; wax and honey were exported from Pskov; flax, fat, lace were exported from Vologda; fur was exported from Ustuyg; squirrel fur was exported from Kazan’; silk was exported from Bukhara (now this is Tatarstan); salt and horses were exported from Astrakhan; sledges were exported from Vyazma; locks were exported from Nizhni Novgorod; grain was exported from Vologda, Nizhni Novgorod, Orel; salt was exported from Kama; fur was exported from Siberia. England and Holland imported sturgeon, vyaziga (sturgeon chord), sturgeon caviar, caviar, fish glue from Russia. There were goods forbidden to import to Russia: tobacco, vodka (since 1640). Such goods were called zapovednye goods. Coffee, wine, expensive high-quality cloth, silk, spices, crystal, china, sugar, paints were imported to Russia.

Letter of grant gave the right to carry on the wholesale trade in Russia. Letter of grant was given to an individual, not to a company. If a merchant had the Letter of grant his case was brought only before the tribunal in Posol’skiy (embassy) prikaz (the central governmental institution), not before the local tribunals.

Until the XVIII^th century the sum of custom duties did not exceed 10% of the cost of goods. In other words, the policy of free market was pursued. That did not stimulate development of industry and handicraft trade in Russia.

The essence of tariff introduced in 1724 was as follows: the list of imported and exported goods was drawn up in the alphabetic progression. About half of them were liable to ad valorem duty (percent of the cost of production), the others were liable to measure and weight duty estimated in roubles and kope©ks.

The tariff provided that duties on imported and exported goods were collected with efimkami, each efimok cost 50 kope©ks. At the same time, Russian merchants did not have advantages over foreigners. If they did not have efimkov, they could pay with Russian money — 125 kope©ks for 1 efimok.

However, provided that Russian merchants exported their own goods themselves on “their own ships, both built in Russia and bought abroad”,

one third of export duty was collected with Russian money. Each efimok cost 90 kope©ks.

When exporting goods on the same terms via Arkhangelsk half of duty was collected and also with Russian money.