Countering the U.S. sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis, Russia President Vladimir Putin banned all food from the United States and fruit and vegetables from the European Union (EU).
In 2011, Russia purchased 21.5 percent of EU’s vegetable exports and 28 percent of their fruit exports, but only ranks 23rd among buyers of food from the U.S.—at less than 1 percent of America’s farm exports.
The White House said the ban would backfire, hurting Russian citizens by pushing up inflation.
Retaliating against Western companies or countries will deepen Russia’s international isolation, causing further damage to its own economy, said Laura Lucas Magnuson, a spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council, Drovers CattleNetwork reported.
The ban halts or limits imports of agricultural products including chicken. Last year, Russia imported 276,100 tons of chicken or 8 percent of U.S. chicken exports. The U.S. National Chicken Council and Poultry & Egg Export Council do not expect a great impact on the industry from the ban, but rather is concerned for the Russian people.
This is clearly a political move. It is unfortunate that the biggest losers in this will be Russian consumers, who will pay more for their food now as well as in the long run, said Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation.