13 April 2004 19:58
Russia imports 20 per cent of food produce - minister
Moscow, 13 April: Imports account for 20 per cent of Russia's demand in food, Russian Agriculture Minister
Aleksey Gordeyev has told a news conference.
He said that the Agriculture Ministry is worried about the considerable share of imports in meat consumption,
accounting for 30 per cent of demand for it. There are concerns about dairy products (imports account for 18 per cent of
the demand). This group has problems not only with the amount but also with the quality of produce, PRIME-TASS
reports.
[Passage omitted]
The Russian agriculture minister said that Russian agriculture today is absolutely competitive in all the food
produce. He noted at the same time that Western countries persist in their "hypocritical attitude" within the
WTO [World Trade Organization] in the sphere of agriculture. They are using all means, specifically tariff and nontariff
regulation and subsidies, to support their producers. Aleksey Gordeyev said it was time for agricultural issues to be
taken up with the UN.
[Passage omitted]
[ITAR-TASS news agency] |
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