Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law providing for the food embargo to operate until 31 December 2017, according to Slon.ru citing official web portal of legal information.
”Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in May instructed to extend anti-sanctions until the end of 2017. At the time, he noted that national producers have repeatedly promoted preservation of food embargo,” reads the statement.
At this, 76% of the Russian citizens in April said in a survey by the Public Opinion foundation that they had not noticed any changes in the variety of foodstuffs in shops after the embargo was introduced. The same share of respondents (76%) noted the rise in prices for food products from countries that have come under the restrictive measures.
Russia imposed its food embargo as ”anti-sanctions” on restrictive measures of the Western powers, which were imposed in connection with the Russian occupation of the Ukrainian Crimea and the participation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in the war in Donbas.
Putin signed a decree restricting imports of certain products from the US, EU, Canada, Australia and Norway in August, 2014. Later, the measures were extended to Albania, Montenegro, Iceland and Liechtenstein, which had joined the anti-Russian sanctions. At the end of last year, Ukraine was also put in that list.
The supplies of beef, pork, poultry, fish, cheese, milk, fruits, vegetables, as well as some other categories of products, were all banned.
Against the background of the introduction of food embargo in 2014, the inflation in Russia has jumped to 11.4% – the highest mark since the crisis of 2008. In 2015, prices jumped 12.9%, updating this maximum.
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