Russia sees Turkey lifting agricultural import restrictions soon

KAZAN, Oct 23 (PRIME) -- Moscow’s lifting of its restrictions on Turkish agricultural imports depends on how quickly Ankara will lift its food export ban, Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters on October 21 following a meeting of an intergovernmental commission.

“We still think that our colleagues will lift these restrictions soon, and we’ve discussed it. It is obvious that liberalization of our relations, and possibilities on supplies of tomatoes, pomegranates, eggplants should be mutual. We’ve discussed the issue and we hope that our colleagues will lift these bureaucratic obstacles. The speed of our own liberalization will largely depend on that,” he said.

On October 18, Moscow and Ankara reached a principal agreement on supplies of Turkish tomatoes to the Russian market. Four Turkish companies will deliver up to 50,000 tonnes of tomatoes to Russia. Novak said that the supplies may start already on November 1, but it also depends on the speed with which Turkey will lift its import restrictions.

Moscow and Ankara also continue discussions on Russian meat and poultry exports. “Turkish inspectors came to us. They looked, inspected Russian companies, and made a report on that…Our Agriculture Ministry and corresponding services are studying the report to continue work on getting necessary certificates…Everything will depend on the speed of coordination and approval of certificates for meat supplies,” he said.

He also said that he and Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci, a co-chairman of the intergovernmental commission, agreed to continue work on lifting all restrictions of mutual supplies of agricultural products.

According to a draft protocol of the commission’s meeting seen by PRIME, Russia also suggested Turkey consider lifting customs duties on imports of some types of plastic produced in Russia, including low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, and homopolymers of propylene.

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