Russia destroys contraband on ban anniv.
Russia was marking the first anniversary of its embargo on Western agricultural products with planned destruction of smuggled goods on Thursday.
Several shipments of contraband products were being destroyed in the Ural Mountains and two other regions near Russia’s western border on President Vladimir Putin’s order.
Russia has the embargo in place on many Western agricultural products including meat, dairy, vegetables and fruits since August 6, 2014 in retaliation for US and European sanctions on Moscow.
The Kremlin extended the ban for another year last month in a tit-for-tat move after Europe decided to keep its sanctions in force through January.
Putin has praised the import ban, saying it was spurring agricultural growth. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has said the agricultural sector was developing more dynamically because of the government support and implementation of import restrictions.
Meanwhile, many Russian farmers are encouraged by the move and have asked the government to maintain the embargo “as long as possible”.
Critics of the government, however, say the shortages are hurting the consumers amid a rise in prices.
By Thursday, more than 250,000 people had signed an online petition, calling on the government to stay its destruction of the smuggled products and instead distribute them among the poor.
In its bid to replenish the market, Russia has turned to its friends, including Iran, for imports of dairy products, meat and fish.
The embargo has also opened a window of opportunity for Latin America, enabling major food producers like Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Mexico to get a foothold in the Russian market.
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