Russian Duma to leave food imports ban list unchanged

The list of foods prohibited from being imported into Russia does not need revision.

The statement came from the head of the Agricultural Committee of the State Duma Nikolai Pankov on Friday as quoted by the United Russia party, RIA Novosti reports.

"I believe that the list of foreign products, which were embargoed should not be reviewed, should not be expanded. In case the situation on the market deteriorates affecting Russian farmers [we] could consider doing so. But today there are no reasons for that," Pankov stated.

According to Pankov, it is still too early to evaluate the effect of the embargo, however "we can already state that retail chains have begun to enter into contracts with Russian farmers... This is a very good result," the committee head added.

Relations between Russia and the West deteriorated amid the Ukrainian crisis, with Moscow repeatedly being accused of meddling in Ukraine's internal affairs. Following Crimea's reunification with Russia, the United States introduced a first round of sanctions against Russia, with its allies later following the move and drawing up their own blacklists.

In August, responding to western sanctions Moscow implemented a one-year ban on certain food imports from the European Union, the United States, Australia, Canada and Norway.

Bakudaily.Az