Video: Russian growers benefit from boycott

In the Kaliningrad region, growers are benefiting from the boycott. A British news site made a video report at growers and the local market. The European Commission is working on a new compensation measure to absorb the market disruption risks caused by the boycott. In Russia, the government reports that fresh produce prices are down. The melon season has started in Crimea, the visit by French MPs to the peninsula that was annexed by Russia, isn't appreciated by Paris. The Netherlands and Poland are starting a Russian news service to combat Russian propaganda, the 33rd Russian aid convoy for East Ukraine crossed the border, and the North Korean black market has a preference for Russian produce. And a dash cam captured an accident with a truck reported to be full of vegetables.

Growers in the Kaliningrad exclave are pleased with the boycott. Demand for locally produced products has increased significantly since last year. Previously, 90% of the food in the province that's surrounded by Europe, was imported. After the sanctions, last summer, the stores and consumers switched to local products.

One strawberry growers says his products are popular again, but there are other signals on the local market as well. The products have become more expensive due to the trade restrictions. While a kilo of strawberries in Kaliningrad costs around 1.60 euros, prices in neighbouring Poland are much lower, at 1.10 euros a kilo. Polish growers selling from the farm see more and more Russians crossing the border for Polish strawberries. According to the current customs regulations, Russians are allowed to import 5 kilos of strawberries. British site ibtimes.co.uk made a video report on the situation in Kaliningrad.

source: www.ibtimes.co.uk

EC works on support measure

Euro Commissioner Phil Hogan is working on measures to relieve the consequences of the extended boycott. Plans are said to included offering compensation to stone fruit growers. Prices for peaches and nectarines are low in Italy, Spain and Greece. "My proposal is to have a new exceptional measure for the fruit and vegetable sector, to decrease the risks of a disrupted market." He also added that 4% of the total production and half of the export in this sector was destined for the Russian market. The extension of the boycott is putting prices under further pressure, Phil says.

Next year, a new Russian news station is to be launched. According to Russian media, the Netherlands and Poland are joining forces to combat Russian propaganda with their own 'content factory'. The news is spread through TV, internet and radio in Russia and Eastern Europe, and is to give an objective view of the situation. The Netherlands and Poland took the initiative, but the countries hope that other EU members will join the news station.

French MPs are planning a visit to Moscow. A remarkable agenda item is a visit to Crimea. For this visit, the MPs haven't talked to the Ukrainian government. That's remarkable, in view of the political tensions surrounding the part of Ukraine annexed by Russia. Incidentally, the MPs did not represent the point of view of the French government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not support the trip.

According to the Russian Minister of Industry and Trade, Viktor Evtukhov, prices for fruit and vegetables have stabilized. According to the ministry, the price for cucumbers has gone down by 58.7%, tomatoes were down 41.3% and cabbage 15%. What influences these products is that the Russian season has started. But for import products, prices have also gone down, bananas -19.9%, grapes -7.8%, oranges -7%.

Thousands of videos are going around the internet of accidents, filmed by dash cams. On July 23, Russian news site RT.com published a video of an overturned truck. The driver of the truck, filled with vegetables, loses control over the wheel due to a burst tire. An oncoming car's dash cam recorded the crash.

Last year, there was a lot of ado about Russian aid convoys for East Ukraine. The first line of trucks crossing the border had a lot of media attention. In the past months, a total of 33 aid convoys crossed the border, this week, Russian reports say, more than 100 trucks crossed the border. Over 1000 tonnes of relief supplies, clothing, medicine and food are on their way to Donetsk and Luhansk. According to the Russian ministry, more than 40,000 tonnes of relief supplies have crossed the border in the past year.

An Italian company is negotiating with the government of the Penza republic about an investment in a greenhouse centre. In the greenhouse, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, radish, dill and parsley are to be grown year-round, with a yield of 12,000 to 15,000 tonnes a year. The plan is still on the drawing table, if an agreement is reached, construction will start in the fall of 2016.

The first melons from Crimea have hit the local market this week. Reports say the start of the season is late this year, due to bad weather conditions in spring. The low temperatures in the nights in the beginning of summer slowed down the ripening process. Prices vary between 0.51-0.76 dollars per kilo.

According to reports from North Korea, Russian products are getting more popular on the North Korean black market. Products like Russian food and medicine are appreciated for their higher quality and lower price.

Under the project name 'Garden of 'Chechnya', the Russian republic wants to set up a trading company in seeds. The seeds are to supply both the domestic and foreign markets. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are some of the potential markets.

Tunisia says it could become a stepping stone for industrial Russia, the Tunisian ambassador told Russian website Sputnik. The countries want to cooperate in joint ventures, and there are said to be plans for Russian investments in the North African country. "Russia supports Tunisia in the democratic transition process, helping us with social and economic development," the ambassador says.

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