Minister says WTO membership useless for Russian agriculture

ST. PETERSBURG, Jun 17 (PRIME) -- Russia’s participation in the World Trade Organization (WTO) has not been beneficial for the country’s agriculture, Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachyov said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday.

“This (WTO membership) meant nothing to us over the last five years, for agriculture. And it gave nothing, no advantages,” Tkachyov said.

The minister said that it was the prohibition of E.U. food imports that became the key factor for the revival of Russian agriculture.

“We have learnt to live without Europe in the aspect of food, we will learn to handle our own processing facilities, we will make own equipment, I know, dozens of facilities do this these days,” he said.

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