MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti economic commentator Vlad Grinkevich) - Late
last week the agricultural watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor introduced
restrictions on the import of Turkish fruit and vegetables. The supply
of tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, lemons and grapes is bound to
plummet, and food prices will rise yet again.
Turkey exports fruit and vegetables all year round, but its firms have
more than once been caught at supplying low-quality products. This year
alone, the Russian agricultural authority has detected excessive
concentrations of nitrates, pesticides and nitrites as well as pests in
86 batches of Turkish fruit and vegetables, coming to nearly 4,000
metric tons of food.