This amount adds to the 123.5 million euro lost during 2014 (which was down 17 percent from 2013). The figures were released on Monday during the Marche-Russia Forum, organised by the Chamber of Commerce of Pesaro-Urbino. Aspin 2000, which processed the National Institute for Statistics (ISTAT) data, reported that Marche region exports have experienced a considerable drop from 2013 to the present. The president of the Chamber of Commerce, Alberto Drudi, said that the decrease has been detrimental to local firms. Agrifood turnover suffered the strongest impact (a 75.6 percent drop in the first quarter compared to the same period a year ago) together with that of the furniture industry (a 12.5 percent loss). Drudi explained that Marche-based firms can no longer bear this situation, because these losses are a result of a latent crisis and have not been compensated for yet by sales growth on the domestic market or any new market opportunities. (AGI)