Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, recently visited an apple producing business.
The attention the President pays to the sector confirms rumors that Russia is set to become a serious competitor on international apple markets. The country is investing a lot to become self-sufficient.
"A couple of years ago, I met the Russian vice-president for agriculture in Moscow. He told me that the ban is a sort of self-defense measure that will last many years. Russia is a great power, but it is only 15% self-sufficient. Putin's objective is to reach 50% in a few years' time, therefore it is investing a lot and setting up production chains to achieve this end. I had talked to Italian businesses about this opportunity, but they didn't show much interest," explains economist Gianluca Bagnara.