俄罗斯禁止从欧美进口食品

Moscow is reportedly banning food imports from the US and European Union in response to sanctions imposed on Russia over the insurrection in Ukraine. It follows bans on Ukrainian dairy products and soybeans and a ban on Polish fruit which authorities in Russia previously said have nothing to do with sanctions.

From chicken to apples to soybeans, milk, bourbon whisky, beef, pork and fruit juice an increasing list of food items are becoming victims of the deteriorating relationship between Russia and western countries.

Russia’s food and consumer watchdogs have frequently banned foreign foods.

In each case Russian authorities say their health rules have been breached. Producers and analysts in the US, Ukraine, Poland and beyond say that the bans always come amid strained relations and call them purely political decisions.

This time President Putin has called for a list of banned products citing, “national interest,” as the reason and dispensing with any pretence that heath concerns, rather than sanctions retaliation are the reason.

"The Russian government has already proposed some retaliatory measures to the so-called sanctions imposed by some countries. I think in the current situation in order to provide (with work) local producers we could think about it." Said Vladimir Putin, Russian president.

Russia imported over 276,000 tonnes of US broiler chicken meat last year, making it the second largest importer after Mexico.

The banning of these imports might actually encourage more domestic Russian production, hope some Russian meat producers, but bank sanctions do worry them.

"The United States is not a big food supplier to Russia, but how it can really affect some agricultural companies is the cost of money because now some banks will not be able to borrow abroad so money will be more expensive." Said Aleksandr Kostikow, meat producer, from Chirkizova Group.

But rather than oil or gas, banning food imports is seen as a low cost way for Russian President Vladimir Putin to retaliate against western sanctions over Ukraine.