Information for fruit and vegetables business in CIS
Russia's restrictions of imports from Turkey to hit Russian consumers' New Year basket
Russia's probable restrictions of imports from Turkey will seriously hit Russian consumers' New Year basket. Stop of Turkish fruit and vegetable exports to Russia will certainly result in shortage of citrus fruits, grapes and greenhouse vegetables in the Russian market followed by a sharp jump in their prices.
According to Fruit-Inform, Turkey has annually accounted for about 40% of Russia's total citrus imports, and about 30% and 50% of Russia's total imports of cucumbers and tomatoes, respectively, were registered from Turkey.
Moreover, Russia plans to introduce the restrictions of imports from Turkey in the period of the highest consumption of Turkish fruits and vegetables. Closer to the New Year holidays, the demand for mandarins and grapes usually grows 2-3 times in Russia, and sales of greenhouse vegetables increase at least by 50%.
Russian importers will unlikely be able to quickly find new suppliers, and Russia's domestic production of greenhouse vegetables is far from satisfying the market demand during the pre-New-Year period. As a result, Russian consumers will most likely be forced to change their plans on their New Year basket, as even mandarins (considered as the most New Year fruit in Russia) will become unaffordable.