Ripe economy: Meet the Russian farmers benefiting from the ban on Western produce
At a strawberry farm in Kaliningrad Oblast, workers are busy picking ripe fruit to sell to locals during the summer. It's a sight that has become a lot more common in Russia over the past year.
The Russian exclave, sandwiched between Lithuania and Poland, used to get up to 90% of its food products from abroad. But in July 2014, the Russian government imposed an embargo on EU and US food produce in retaliation for Western economic sanctions over the country's involvement in the Ukraine crisis. Now, a year on, local farmers in Russia are benefiting.
"Before then, our produce was not in demand. But after the counter-sanctions, all the local shop chains as well as the majority of people turned around towards us and started to buy our produce with big success," says Shaig Memedov, a strawberry farmer based in Kaliningrad Oblast.
The ban, which was recently extended until June 2016, covers meat, fish, dairy, fruit and vegetables. EU farm exports to Russia were estimated to be worth around €11bn (£7.6bn) annually, making up roughly 10% of all EU agricultural sales.
The trade embargo has become a boon for Russian farmers, but not everyone in the country is happy. At one local market in Kaliningrad Oblast, a disgruntled resident claims that the amount of fruit and vegetables available has significantly decreased.
"They have cut the vegetables offered by two to three times. I asked why? The salesperson told me 'sanctions'. Nothing is delivered," says Marina, a local resident.
It's not just the lack of options that's the problem. Many people from Kaliningrad also cross the border to buy their strawberries from neighbouring Poland. The main reason? It's cheaper.
Before then, our produce was not in demand. But after the counter-sanctions, all the local shop chains as well as the majority of people turned around towards us and started to buy our produce with big success.
One kilo of strawberries costs 100 rubles (about £1.10) in Kaliningrad. Across the border, it's less than 70p. One person can bring up to five kilos of strawberries through the Russian border under the new customs regulations.
Grisha Pazik, a Polish strawberry farmer, claims that many Russians cross the border to buy his produce.
"They buy many, a lot. They like that the strawberries are good, without any pesticides. And also because in Russia it is expensive," he says.
Although Russian residents are currently blighted by a lack of options and high prices, as long as the EU ban remains in place, local farmers in Russia and neighbouring countries look set to reap the rewards.
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