PRESS: Turkey import ban raises purchase prices – Russia’s Lenta

MOSCOW, Feb 24 (PRIME) -- Russian food retailer Lenta has registered higher purchase prices for fruit and vegetables after Moscow had banned food imports from Turkey, Lenta CEO Jan Dunning said in an interview to business daily Vedomosti published Wednesday.

“The Turkish embargo made companies look for other suppliers of some products. We were rather inventive in the search for alternatives, I think. But are these analogues cheaper? We saw a rather large increase of purchase prices for fruit and vegetables. And I cannot certainly say whether it is connected to the embargo, to currency exchange rates or to longer transportation distances,” he said.

Initially, purchase prices for citruses grew. “But by summer it will also cover tomatoes and bell peppers,” he added.

Russia banned imports of some fruit and vegetables from Turkey from January 1 as part of retaliatory measures after Ankara downed Su-24 bomber in November 2015.

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