Russia could discuss Turkish proposal to ease tomato ban: Minister

ST PETERSBURG - Reuters

Russia could discuss Turkey’s proposal to partially lift a ban on tomato supplies to Russia if Moscow is sure that it would not harm its domestic production or investors, Russian Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev told Reuters on June 1.

In a bid to resolve a trade row with Russia, Ankara previously proposed that Moscow lift a ban on imported Turkish tomatoes during periods when Russian growers are unable to produce their own.

Under the Turkish proposal, Moscow’s ban would remain at times when Russia was producing its own tomatoes, with its main harvest season during summer months.

“It would be sufficient for Turkey for Russia to close borders for exports during when they produce and then reopen when they can’t,” a Turkish official told Reuters earlier.

Russia was a key market for Turkish tomatoes, worth several hundred million dollars each year and Moscow has been losing up to $1.5 billion from the effective suspension of agricultural exports to Turkey, Tkachev said last month.