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UAE to replace Turkey in fruit exports to Russia

Russia says it plans to replace the UAE with Turkey in imports of fruits and vegetables.

Officials in Moscow said on Sunday that it is considering a plan that would replace the United Arab Emirates with Turkey in deliveries of vegetables and fruits to Russia.

The announcement was made by Russia’s Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev.    

"We would like to receive from the UAE fruits and vegetables, citrus fruits, given that shipments of these products from Turkey have been stopped," he said.

Sputnik news has quoted Tkachev as saying that "UAE could replace Turkey in this field".

Russia has imposed a number of restrictive measures on its economic cooperation with Turkey in response to the downing of a Russian Su-24 bomber by a Turkish F-16 fighter in Syria on 24 November.

In particular, the embargo list of foodstuffs, in effect since January 1, includes salt, cloves, fruit, vegetables, as well as chicken and turkey products.

Russia is interested in promoting meat and grain exports to the UAE, Tkachev said.

"Of course we are looking forward to it [increasing supplies]. This applies to meat and grain," the minister said, adding that both countries needed to capitalize on the UAE’s status as a transit hub for increased trade with Persian Gulf and Middle East countries.

A main exporter of food items to Russia is currently Iran.  The country announced in early January that it had exported some 500 truckloads of food items and different kinds of fruits to Russia in a matter of a few days.  It said the exports had been made through Azerbaijan.

Iran’s media also reported in January that Iran Dairy Industries Company (IDIC) – a main local dairy producer – had received the authorizations to export dairy products to Russia and that the exports will begin in the near future.


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