Complication of relations between Russia and Turkey significantly affected the export of Russian agricultural products, as Turkey is the leader in imports from Russia. This was during a working visit to Stavropol Krai, told journalists the Minister of agriculture of the Russian Federation Alexander Tkachev.

"Where we direct the flow of food in the first place Turkey, so naturally, the Russian-Turkish aggravation for us was palpable. Of the 35 million tons of grain (allocated for exports - approx. TASS) the sixth part is the only Turkey", - said the Minister.

According to Tkachev, the second place on volume of export of Russian food is China, followed by Kazakhstan, then - South Korea and Egypt. The Minister noted the prospects of cooperation with China. "We see in China is our strategic partner with growing disposable incomes and consumption. We want China bought large quantities of grain and meat is a huge market, we will do everything possible for this market to develop," - said the Minister.

From 1 January 2016 at the background of aggravation of political relations, Russia imposed a ban on the import of a whole list of agricultural products from Turkey. The list includes oranges, tangerines, grapes, apples, pears, apricots, peaches and nectarines, plums, strawberries. In addition, under the restrictions were vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, cauliflower and broccoli, onion, and frozen cuts and offal of turkeys and chickens, salt and chewing gum.

In addition, for phytosanitary reasons, was prohibited imports from Turkey of certain categories of plant products (tomato, pepper, pomegranate, eggplant, salads and iceberg lettuce, zucchini and pumpkins). Turkey from March 15, 2017 abolished duty-free import of Russian agricultural products. The duty on the import from Russia of wheat and maize were set at 130%, rice 45%, sunflower - 13.5 percent, legumes - by 9.7%, sunflower oil - an average of 36%.

The minimum customs value of products supplied should be $1.5 million at the current price of sunflower oil $800 per ton. These measures were a response to what Russia has lifted a ban on the supply of Turkish tomatoes and cucumbers, as explained earlier, the head of the Union of exporters of cereals, pulses and oilseeds in Central Anatolia, Turgay Unlu. Later, following the talks of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi, the parties agreed to the lifting of all trade restrictions. Currently, almost all restrictions on imports of agricultural products from Turkey shot.

Under the ban was the tomatoes. In addition, there are limitations of the Rosselkhoznadzor for import of tomato, pepper, pomegranate, eggplant, salads and iceberg lettuce, zucchini and pumpkins. Turkey, in turn, abolished the restrictive measures against Russian grain and sunflower oil. However, Russia is now trying to achieve the opening of the Turkish market of meat and milk.

Photo: www.tourprom.ru