Russia restricts Turkish food imports

[North Pole]

Hello, everyone!

Some of you did read my posts, so you already know that I am Russian. So as a Russian, I don't really want to offend or slander the other side although this is the right forum to do so.

I am just posting this info so you can stay healthy by asking about the country of origin of the produce you are to buy next time....




11/ 06/ 2008

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MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti economic commentator Vlad Grinkevich) - Late last week the agricultural watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor introduced restrictions on the import of Turkish fruit and vegetables. The supply of tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, lemons and grapes is bound to plummet, and food prices will rise yet again.

Turkey exports fruit and vegetables all year round, but its firms have more than once been caught at supplying low-quality products. This year alone, the Russian agricultural authority has detected excessive concentrations of nitrates, pesticides and nitrites as well as pests in 86 batches of Turkish fruit and vegetables, coming to nearly 4,000 metric tons of food.

The agency has more than once appealed to Turkish Agriculture Minister Mehmet Eker to ensure that suppliers comply with Russian legislation and to more strictly monitor their exports. Since the Turkish authorities have neglected to act on the warning, Rosselkhoznadzor decided to suspend Turkish food imports "because of regular violations of international and Russian requirements."

The embargo will last until Turkey provides safety guarantees for its plant exports to Russia.

...

Russian sanitary authorities report violations by Turkish suppliers every year. In 2005, Rosselkhoznadzor restricted the import of Turkish fruit and vegetables, but they nevertheless reached the Russian market via other countries, primarily Azerbaijan.

READ MORE - http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20080611/110108564.html

[Armenian]

Re: Russia restricts Turkish food imports

Thank you for the advisory, North Pole. But I have a question. Russia has the largest landmass on earth, most of which is arable and very fertile. Why does it even purchase produce from a place like Turkey? Could it be that Turkey has food items that are not grown in Russia?

[skhara]

Re: Russia restricts Turkish food imports

Thank you for the advisory, North Pole. But I have a question. Russia has the largest landmass on earth, most of which is arable and very fertile. Why does it even purchase produce from a place like Turkey? Could it be that Turkey has food items that are not grown in Russia?

Most of Russia's landmass is not arable. Only about 7% and a lot of that is used for livestock grazing.

[Armenian]

Re: Russia restricts Turkish food imports

Most of Russia's landmass is not arable. Only about 7% and a lot of that is used for livestock grazing.

I just looked it up. Some official sites are claiming up to 10% of Russian land is arable. Much more is "potentially" arable. Even at 7%, do you know just how big "7%" of Russia is? It's probably the size of France - with enough room leftover to squeeze in the UK. I know that much of the lands east of the Urals are either too cold or too rugged for large scale farming of diverse produce. However, why aren't the lands West of the Urals fully developed for Russia's farming needs? Could it be because during the Soviet years farming emphasis was placed only upon the Ukraine? Anyway, just a day or two ago I think it was Medvedev that suggested Russia could start renting its land to farmers of the world to ease the global food crisis. Take a look at the following news articles regarding agriculture:

Scottish farmers eye new pastures in Russia

Fed up with red tape, falling crop prices and the daily struggle just to survive, a group of Scottish farmers will head east tomorrow in search of new opportunities in Russia, writes Paul Kelbie

Just months after the Russian government changed the law to allow foreigners the right to lease land and establish private farms, the first organised delegation of UK farmers will fly to the region of Penza, 400 miles south-east of Moscow, in search of greener pastures. Almost a million acres of fertile land is lying idle there for want of investment because local farmers cannot raise sufficient money to buy the machinery, fertilisers and seeds to cultivate it. Earlier this year a delegation led by the governor of Penza, Vasily Bochkarev, held a series of seminars in Nottingham and Edinburgh to tempt British farmers. It had been hoped that a couple of dozen British farmers might be interested, but more than 100 turned up. Tempted by the prospect of cultivating a seam of nutrient-rich, prime arable land, stretching from Ukraine into central Russia, for a fraction of the cost incurred at home, the first organised group, consisting of four Scottish farmers, will leave tomorrow to see for themselves. After the break-up of the Soviet Union, the country's agricultural industry went into a sharp decline. But with the right investment from British farmers, Russian officials are confident that they can turn the situation around. 'Russia's food import bill is a massive £6bn, a huge percentage of which could be produced domestically,' said Richard Willows of Nottingham-based Heartland Farms, which was one of the first companies to take up the offer. 'Only 47 per cent of arable land is being farmed; there is so much untapped land. No other country in the world has the potential to significantly increase food production as much as Russia.' Heartland Farms owns and operates 12,000 hectares (29,000 acres), of which 8,000 has been brought back into efficient production of sugar beet, malting barley, wheat, sunflower seed and soya. 'Since we arrived in Penza we've had nothing but support. The Russians have assisted us with company formation, helped us understand Russian legislation and suggested key employment needs,' said Willows. Robert Monk, who owns Heartland Farms, added: 'It's not just arable farmers who are interested, but also pig breeders, feed suppliers, machinery dealers and a lot of other associated farming companies. We have another party going out in July. 'Farmers in the UK just can't make it pay any more. They work harder and harder for less and less profit because of the overheads, minimum wage and health and safety legislation. In Russia there are vast tracts of beautiful farmland readily available for peanuts.'

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/may/27/russia.world

Investment in arable farming reaps rewards

While the world grapples with food shortages and rising prices, Russia’s grain harvest is growing. Agriculture Minister Alexey Gordeyev expects a total 85 million tonnes, while the Grain Union says it could be even higher. Descended from a noble Russian family of statesmen, diplomats and soldiers, Michel Orlov was born in Switzerland. He returned to the country of his forefathers after the collapse of the Soviet Union, making a living first as a financier, then as a farmer. Russia’s once thriving agricultural industry was at the time a basket case, but three years of hard work have yielded results. Now the company controls about 300,000 hectares of land across Russia's six southern regions - an area about the size of Luxembourg. Keeping track of it all is not easy. Satellite navigation, parallel driving systems and electronic maps of fields all have a place in his agricultural business. Michel Orlov brought the world's best technological expertise to Russia’s fertile black earth and using it can significantly reduce expenses. Although he has achieved much, Orlov says he faces even greater challenges ahead, with agriculture only just starting to revive. But Michel Orlov is optimistic about the outlook for Russian agriculture. He compares it with the oil industry. “I remember when the oil companies were privatised. The oil price in Russia was $US 8 per barrel. It was not very attractive and all these oil companies were totally mismanaged, with enormous debt to be restructured. That was tough and we made it!” he said. World demand for food is growing and the future might see a shift from hydrocarbons to proteins for energy. Russia’s farmers once again have the chance to take a leading role in the country.

Source: http://russiatoday.ru/business/news/24932

China eyes Russian farmlands in food push

Chinese companies will be encouraged to buy, or take on lease, farmlands abroad to help guarantee food security, under a plan being considered by Beijing. The move comes amid a food crisis in China. China has about 40 per cent of the world’s farmers, but just 9 per cent of the world’s arable land. Africa and South America are among the most likely directions. Russia’s also in the list. However, according to the country’s constitution, foreign companies aren’t allowed to buy Russian land, though still possible to lease. Acquiring farmlands abroad is now becoming a trend around the globe. Oil-rich but food-poor countries in the Middle East and North Africa explore similar options. Libya is now in talks with Ukraine about growing wheat in the former Soviet republic, while Saudi Arabia says it will invest in agricultural and livestock projects abroad to ensure food security and control commodity prices.

Source: http://russiatoday.ru/news/news/24580

Russia must grow its own food - Putin

Vladimir Putin says Russia needs to cut its dependence on food imports in order to protect the population from sharp price rises. The Prime Minister made his comments during a visit to Stavropol region, the country’s agricultural heartland. The PM said Russia had the potential to become an exporter of wheat, and to decrease its high dependence on imports. Around 40% of meat and more than a quarter of dairy products consumed in Russia come from abroad. ”Our key goals are to secure the stable development of agricultural areas, to improve the quality of life on the land, to make the agro-industrial sector significantly more efficient and to increase the competitiveness of home-grown products. That way we can protect ourselves from sharp price fluctuations on the international markets," Vladimir Putin said.
The PM said that stabilising prices for fertilizers and vehicle fuel, guaranteeing the risks of agricultural companies and providing access to long-term credits will draw investment into the sector. “With the current level of grain prices, the grain sector is highly profitable. Another sector with a high potential for growth is milk. Because milk prices grew so sharply over the last year, the profitability of milk production grew too. We now regularly hear announcements of new investment into the sector. And it will continue to improve,” Andrey Sizov, Director of Sovecon farming consulting agency, said. The farm of the future already exists in Stavropol region, funded by the national projects programme. It cost $US 30 million to build, including construction and the purchase of technology and livestock.

Source: http://russiatoday.ru/business/news/24963

[Armanen]

Re: Russia restricts Turkish food imports

So as a Russian, I don't really want to offend or slander the other side although this is the right forum to do so.

What do you mean by this statement? Who or what do you not want to offend?

[Armenian]

Re: Russia restricts Turkish food imports

What do you mean by this statement? Who or what do you not want to offend?

I don't want to speak for North Pole but his reference to the "other side" had to do with Turks/Turkey. I know you are upset because North Pole won't freely attack Turks.

You must understand that Russians, unlike nationalist Armenians, don't have a natural almost instinctive repulsion/opposition towards Turks. Armenian nationalists realize that Armenia is an endangered nation in the Caucasus. Thus, it's natural for us to have this instinct towards all things Turkish. For Russian, however, Turkey is just another nation, albeit a nation they have gone to war with on many-many occasions and a nation that still poses a serious geopolitical threat to them, as we saw in Chechnya. However, the same could be said of a number of Russia's neighbors, not just Turkey. For Armenians, our one and only problem has been Turks. So, don't expect Russians, or any other nationality, including Greeks by the way, to have the same repulsion/opposition many Armenians have towards Turks.

Note: I would even say that the anti-Turk hostility Armenians like us portray is not shared by a majority of Armenians worldwide.

What Armenians like you should be doing is trying to 'explain' to the average Russians why the Turkish nation poses longterm danger to Russia and its regional allies like Serbia, Armenia, Syria, Greece, ect.

[Siamanto]

Re: Russia restricts Turkish food imports

I have a question. Russia has the largest landmass on earth, most of which is arable and very fertile. Why does it even purchase produce from a place like Turkey? Could it be that Turkey has food items that are not grown in Russia?

I find it amusing, to say the least, that the bigmouth, self-righteous skinhead, who's been parading - and, for a while - as an "expert" on "Russian Affairs" and "geopolitical issues;" is unaware of one of Russia's - and I said, one - fundamental issues.
LOL Of course, geopolitics and/or nation building are about arms, wars, xenophobia, political conspiracies/betrayals and gratuitous/pompous statements/declarations?????

I just looked it up. Some official sites are claiming up to 10% of Russian land is arable. Much more is "potentially" arable. Even at 7%, do you know just how big "7%" of Russia is? It's probably the size of France - with enough room leftover to squeeze in the UK.

It seems that his simplistic understanding of the root causes reflects the same "sharp mind and knowledgeable expert????"

I know that much of the lands east of the Urals are either too cold or too rugged for large scale farming of diverse produce. However, why aren't the lands West of the Urals fully developed for Russia's farming needs? Could it be because during the Soviet years farming emphasis was placed only upon the Ukraine?

Can it be that you should be spending more time reducing your ignorance and illiteracy than spamming (Web) forums - who knows how many????

[crusader1492]

Re: Russia restricts Turkish food imports

I find it amusing, to say the least, that the bigmouth, self-righteous skinhead, who's been parading - and, for a while - as an "expert" on "Russian Affairs" and "geopolitical issues;" is unaware of one of Russia's - and I said, one - fundamental issues.
LOL Of course, geopolitics and/or nation building are about arms, wars, xenophobia, political conspiracies and betrayals?????





It seems that his simplistic understanding of the root causes reflects the same "sharp mind and knowledgeable expert????"









Can it be that you should be spending more time reducing your ignorance and illiteracy than spamming (Web) forums - who knows how many????

Are you nipping at Armenian's heels again???//

[Siamanto]

Re: Russia restricts Turkish food imports

Are you nipping at Armenian's heels again???//

Are you assuming your role of Katchn Nazar's bodyguard "again" (sic) or simply "nipping at my heels again????" "" (sic)

P.S. In both cases, shouldn't you rather advice your "spiritual guru" to spend more time reducing his illiteracy than spamming????

[crusader1492]

Re: Russia restricts Turkish food imports

Are you assuming your role of Katchn Nazar's bodyguard "again" (sic) or simply "nipping at my heels again????" "" (sic)

P.S. In both cases, shouldn't you rather advice your "spiritual guru" to spend more time reducing his illiteracy than spamming????

Let me speak in a language you can understand:

?????...riff raff...intellectual...skinhead?????