Next month, the EU is to take a decision on extension of the sanctions against Russia. According to various sources, the EU is preparing a six-month extension. The Russian inspection service has made a video about the service's working methods. Also, pears were intercepted that are possibly illegal, the inspection launched an additional investigation. Russia is importing more from Serbia. Turkish export hardly seems to profit from the boycott. According to the official figures, Russia imported less fruit and vegetables in the first nine months of this year.
EU prepares extension of sanctions
The European Union is preparing for an extension of the sanctions against Russia, by another six months. According to the EU Observer, most countries are in favour of a six-month extension, although negotiations are still going regarding this. Press agency Reuters reports that France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy and the US have already decided on an extension in the margins of the G20 in Turkey. In December, a summit meeting is planned at which the EU is to reach a decision.
Rosselkhoznadzor provides behind the scenes look
In a video, Russian phytosanitary service Rosselkhoznadzor provided insight into the way the service operates. The inspection investigates the import, and regularly intercepts shipments said to be imported illegally.
Doubtful pears intercepted
In Russia, a truck from Belarus was stopped. The truck carried 19.2 tonnes of pears, Rosselkhoznadzor reports on its website. The pears, the documents said, were from Mexico, but the inspection found an anomaly. On the pallets the pears were transported on, the code for Mexico was missing. The pallets carried a Belgian code. This resulted in confusion among the inspectors, who confiscated the shipment for further inspection.
Russian import down
According to statistics from Rosstat, the Russian statistics bureau, the import of various products decreased significantly in the first nine months of this year. The orange import went down by 6.4 percent, bananas by 6.8 percent. Bigger decreases were seen in apples (-28.5%), grapes (-25.8%) and potatoes (-19.6%). The import of products from other segments also went down, with cheese seeing a 44 percent decrease, for instance.
Serbia doubles apple export Russia
According to the Serbian ambassador in Russia, the Balkan country's apple export has increased by eighty percent for some varieties, Fruit Inform reports. "The export of agricultural produce has increased significantly, especially fruit export. The apple and plum export increased significantly. The apple export, for example, has seen an eighty percent increase," the ambassador told the media.
Image new weapon in gas row Ukraine and Russia
The gas dispute between Ukraine and Russia is turning a new page. Image seems to be becoming a major weapon. While Russia claims that the gas supplies have been halted due to Ukrainian payment defaults, Kiev says it consciously halted purchases. They say there are no payment defaults, but orders were given not to purchase any more Russian gas. Ukraine says it can buy gas from Europe.
Turkey hardly profit from boycott
Turkish export has hardly any advantages from the Russian boycott, Turkstat figures show. In the first three quarters of this year, the export went up by 0.9 percent. Over the third quarter, Turkey noted a decreasing trend compared to the third quarter of 2014.
Kaliningrad expands greenhouse cultivation with subsidy
Government support has significantly increased greenhouse cultivation in Kaliningrad, Fruit-Inform reports. New greenhouses are built and existing centres renovated, causing the production in the region to go up. One example is the Dona centre, where cucumbers were grown for years. After the boycott, the grower expanded his production with tomatoes and lettuce. In addition, the centre is modernized, resulting in a production that's year-round for the first time. On average, the production in the centre is to go up by 250 tonnes, to a total of more than 1,000 tonnes a year.