Russia lifted ban on import of all Turkish products except tomatoes

UFA, 2 June 2017. /Bashinform News Agency, Olga Murtazina/. The Russian Government lifted the restriction on import from Turkey of all previously banned products, except for tomatoes. This sector remains restricted in interests of domestic farmers. The list of newly products allowed to import includes frozen parts of chicken and turkey, by-products of chicken and turkey, fresh or chilled cucumbers and gherkins, fresh apples, pears, grapes, strawberries, the document says.

A ban for organizations under the jurisdiction of Turkey to perform certain works and provide services was also abolished. It is, in particular, regards construction and tourism.

As for tomatoes, they can be allowed to import for processing, the Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said at the SPIEF-2017, RIA Novosti reports. Consultations on this will continue until the end of the summer, but there is no talk of large volumes of imports, he added.

Russia imposed an embargo on supply of certain products from Turkey in response to the attack of the Turkish Air Force on the Russian Su-24 in Syria. Then the restrictions were partially removed. In early May, the Russian President Vladimir Putin, after talks with the Turkish leader Tayyip Erdogan, announced an agreement on a "comprehensive decision to lift restrictive measures in mutual trade" and on May 22, both countries signed in Istanbul a joint statement on mutual lifting of restrictions. At the same time, Putin stressed that the cancellation would not affect tomatoes, given the investments of domestic farmers in this sector and a long production cycle.