Minister says Russia halves food imports in 2014–2016

KAZAN, Jul 5 (PRIME) -- Russia halved 2014–2016 food imports to U.S. $25 billion from $42 billion, Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachyov said at a trade fair on Wednesday.

“The Russian countryside, farmers have been developing seriously over the last few years,” Tkachyov said.

“We are gaining the production amount, the quality. We are coming back to our Russian land, speaking metaphorically, ousting imported products from the shelves, from trade, first of all. We reduced food imports from various states virtually two times over the last three years.”

Tkachyov also said that Russia can fully eliminate food deficit and start proactive exports in five to seven years.

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