Putin Enacts ‘Full Embargo’ on Food Imports from Countries that Have Sanctioned Russia
Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed a decree issued by President Vladimir Putin banning food imports of dairy products, beef, pork, fruits and vegetables from the U.S., European Union, Australia, Canada and Norway in response to economic sanctions levied by those countries.
Russian officials say the ban will last for at least one year on food imports from the countries, Food Navigator reports.
“Pursuant to the decree of the president, I have signed a government decree. Russia imposes a total ban on the supply of beef, pork, fruits and vegetables…poultry, fish, cheese, milk and dairy products,” Medvedev said in a statement. “In fact, we are talking about an embargo on imports of whole categories of products from those countries that have imposed economic sanctions on Russian organizations and citizens,” he said, adding, “if our partners demonstrate a constructive approach on cooperation, the Russian government is ready to revise the terms of those measures.”
Medvedev called the measures “extremely reactive” and said they are “developments we do not want.” The ban includes raw materials and “foodstuffs.”
According to Food Navigator, Russia is the second-largest export market for the European Union. It recently banned certain crops from the U.S. when they were suspected of containing GMOs, and scientists have called for a ten-year ban on GMOs until more testing can be done on their safety. Russian officials have also called for the creation of an “international watchdog” organization to oversee the safety of genetically modified foods in the global marketplace and said that it has “enough space” to grow exclusively organic crops.
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