Russia bans western food imports, threatens with overflight ban
The measures were taken in retaliation for the western sanctions against Moscow over the Ukraine crisis. The Russian government imposed a one-year ban on imports of beef, pork, poultry, fish, cheeses, fruit, vegetables and dairy products from Australia, Canada, the EU, the United States and Norway, the Itar-Tass news agency quoted Medvedev as saying, Xinhua reports. He said that Russia has long restrained from responding to the sanctions imposed by the West. "I sincerely hope that our partners will change and stop thinking of intimidating and containing Russia, and that our mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation will be restored in full," Medvedev said. He added that "if our partners display a constructive approach toward cooperation then the Russian government will be ready to revise the terms of the imposed measures." Medvedev warned of potentiality of more protective measures in aircraft building, shipbuilding, automobile manufacturing industries and other sectors, "but we will do this reasonably." The premier called on all relevant federal administrations to work together with representatives of retail chains and commodity producers for joint action plan in order to replace banned imports and balance price as soon as possible. Agriculture Minister Nikolai Fyodorov said later at a briefing that Russia's agribusiness may receive an additional 137 billion rubles (nearly 3.8 billion dollars) from the state in the next three to four years for output boost and a larger domestic market share. He added that the import ban is supposed to trigger agricultural production growth in Russia, as the production volume will "reach 281 billion roubles (nearly 7.7 billion dollars) in the next 1.5 years." Medvedev also expressed his confidence in Russia turning the situation in its favor even under western sanctions. Details also at
