MOSCOW, November 25. Russia can substitute imports of vegetables from Turkey imports from Iran, Israel, Morocco and other countries. This was announced by the Minister of agriculture of the Russian Federation Alexander Tkachev.
“The share of Turkish vegetables account for 20% of the total volume of supplies of vegetables to Russia. The import of vegetables, primarily tomatoes, be posted from Iran, Morocco, Israel, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan”, – said the Minister.
Turkey imports to Russia more than 360 thousand tons of tomatoes, he said.
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The Minister of agriculture added that the import of citrus of the Russian Federation will be able to replace supplies from South Africa, Morocco and other countries.
“Turkey imports about 250 thousand tons of citrus, is a quarter of the total volume of citrus fruit imported into Russia. Import citrus we can replace by the supplies from South Africa, Morocco, China, Argentina, Israel, Abkhazia, Georgia”, – said the head of the Ministry of agriculture.
According to the Ministry of agriculture of the Russian Federation, in 2014 the import of food and agricultural products from Turkey to Russia amounted to $1.7 billion and remained at the level of the previous year. Thus in the total Russian food imports to Turkey accounted for 4%. For 10 months of 2015, Turkey has imported into Russia of food for $1 billion, which is 20% lower than a year earlier.
On the export of grain
In addition, Tkachev said that if necessary, Russia can redirect the export of grain to Turkey in the Middle East and Africa.
“If necessary importers of grain (designed for Turkey – approx. ed.) can act countries in the Middle East (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, etc.) and Africa (Morocco, Ghana, Namibia, Nigeria, Gambia, Cameroon, Kenya, etc.)”, – said Tkachev.
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Since the beginning of 2015 Russia exported to Turkey, 3.5 million tons of grain, accounting for nearly 12% of the total volume of grain exports, he added. While grain is the main position of food exports from Russia to Turkey (56.1 per cent). About 20% sunflower oil, 10% – on food industry waste and 5% other dried leguminous vegetables, 4% – oilseeds.
Overall exports of food and agricultural products from Russia to Turkey in 2014, according to the Ministry of agriculture of the Russian Federation, increased by one third and reached 2.4 billion dollars. While Turkey accounted for 12% of the total Russian export of food. For 10 months of 2015, Russia exported to Turkey food for $ 1.4 billion, a quarter less than the year before. The decrease is attributable to lower supplies of wheat, barley, oilseeds and sunflower oil, said the Agency.
