January 18, 2021

Russia extends food embargo until December 2021

Russian President Vladimir Putin has extended the country's food embargo until December 31 this year, with respect to the supply of products from countries that imposed or supported anti-Russian sanctions.

The decision is stated in a decree called No.730 that is dated November 21 last year.

The embargo was introduced by a Presidential Decree on August 6, 2014, against countries that had declared or supported anti-Russian sanctions. Previously, it applied to products from the United States, the European Union, Australia, Norway and Canada.

As of August 13, 2015, this list also included Albania, Montenegro, Iceland and Liechtenstein, which joined in imposing sanctions against Russian.

Initially, the ban included meat and meat products, milk and dairy products, fish and fish products, fruits and vegetables. Starting October 2017, the import of live pigs (with the exception of purebred breeding animals), as well as by-products (offal), animal fats and butter, was also prohibited.

Russian authorities have repeatedly said that the food embargo has made it possible to eliminate the country's dependence on imports of most commodities.

According to Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Victoria Abramchenko, 2019 results reveal the indicators set by guidelines for the country's food security were achieved in terms of the production of cereals, sugar, vegetable oil, meat and meat products, potatoes, fish and fish products.

As the first vice-chairman of the State Duma's Agricultural Committee, Vladimir Plotnikov, pointed out, the extension of the food embargo will enable Russian producers to replace imports for which there is still dependence, for instance, on fruits and vegetables.

- Boletín de Noticias del Exterior-MAPA (Spain)