Posted November 25, 2014
Russia’s ban
on western imports of food products has strengthened local, organic farms,
according to The New York Times article available here.
The Daily Meal also published an article available here
and teleSUR here.
Major
Russian grocery chains sought out Boris Akimov, the founder of Russia’s
farm-to-table movement, desperately seeking immediate supplies.
Akimov and
the other 100 farmers associated with LavkaLavka,
the organic farm cooperative, produce nowhere near the amounts requested.
“The main
thing which the sanctions have already changed is in people’s minds — in
government, in business and on the streets, they have started to think more
about where their food comes from,” said Mr. Akimov. “If the sanctions give a
chance to develop local farmers, to develop sustainable agriculture, it is very
good. But I am not sure it will happen.”
Russin
citizens have been hit the hardest by the ban with food prices increasing
dramatically for consumers and many farmers were left with a surplus of crops,
according to The
Daily Meal.
Without
cheese import from Europe, food producers have been making their own Parmesan,
Mozzarella cheese, and Serrano ham, according to teleSUR.
Last
month, Prime Minister Dmitri A. Medvedev released a “road map” for agriculture
in the country encouraging people to consider local farming.
“The aim
of our efforts is to increase our own agricultural produce and to reduce
Russia’s dependence on food imports,” said Dmitri. However, the map was mostly showed
upcoming spaces to watch out for.
Prices for
meat and poultry have risen more than 18 percent through October, and dairy
products rose by over 15 percent, according to The
New York Times.
“Russia
cannot provide itself with dairy products, fish, vegetables and other types of
food,” said Mikhail Anshakov, the head of the Society for the Protection of
Consumer Rights, which calls for food sanctions to be rescinded. “Self-imposed
sanctions under these circumstances were madness.”
According
to a poll taken at the end of September, 59 percent of Russians believed the
sanctions would work to Russia's economic advantage, however; consumers are
worried the agriculture sector is not able to produce enough food for the
country, according to teleSUR.
For more information on local food systems, please visit the
National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
