Russia destroyed 7,500 tons of banned food imports
Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) announced that over 7,500 tons of banned food products, mostly fruit and vegetables, were destroyed over the last year, Russian TASS news agency reported.
"Overall, 7,282 tons of vegetable products under sanctions have been destroyed from August 6, 2015 to date," Rosselkhoznadzor’s spokeperson Yulia Melano stated.
The representative added that fruits and animal products were also destroyed.
In July of last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree ordering that food products that fall under Russia’s food embargo be destroyed.
In August 2014, Moscow imposed a food embargo on the US and European countries in response to the West’s sanctions against Russia for its role in the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Since that time, food prices have risen by 31.6%, according to Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development.
Rosselkhoznadzor officials are currently considering lifting the food embargo on Turkey following the resumption of warm relations between Moscow and Ankara.