Agriculture min: Keeping countersanctions “would be good” for 10 more yrs

MOSCOW, Mar 23 (PRIME) -- Russia’s agriculture is ready for abolishing the countermeasures introduced in retaliation for the Western sanctions, but maintaining the measures for  another 10 years would be good, Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachyov said on Thursday.

“The (agriculture) industry is generally ready for lifting the sanctions,” he said. “It would be good for the industry (to keep countersanctions) for 10 years.”

But he admitted that lifting of the sanctions could have a positive effect for Russia, including cheaper agricultural lending.

In 2014, relations between Russia and the West deteriorated to their worst since the Cold War due to a military conflict in Ukraine. The West introduced sanctions against some Russian individuals and firms and further against the energy and banking sectors. In response, Russia limited food imports from some countries, including the U.S., the E.U., Canada, Australia, and Norway.

Tkachyov also said he is sure that participation in the World Trade Organization (WTO) has given nothing to local farmers. “I believe that we should assert and revise some positions without hesitation. A direct fight (with the WTO) is useless. Some particular positions related to us must be advocated.”

He added that the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) provides a lot of advantages to Russia, but  the country is the major food sales market for the union. “We have a negative agricultural trading balance: we import more than export. There are also some problems with technical regulations.”

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