MOSCOW, May 19. /TASS/. Direct losses of EU agricultural producers due to the food embargo imposed by Russia totaled approximately $3.5 bln, Sergey Dankvert, head of Russia’s agricultural watchdog, the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance said on Tuesday.
"Direct losses we can assess relatively to the last year, starting from mid-August, approximately total $3,5 bln or may be more. My estimate is minimal; I compare the quantity supplied in 2013 to the one supplied at present. That is, Europeans, for example, supplied products in the amount of $15 bln earlier and their current deliveries are $3.5 bln less," Dankvert said.
Agricultural producers of nearly all European nations suffered from the food embargo, he added. "For example, they suffered in respect of pork not merely as a result of response measures but also because of the prohibition of pork supplies we imposed in February due to the African swine fever. They supplied up to 600,000 tons of pork and byproducts; their warehouses are overstocked now," Dankvert said.
On August 7, 2014, Russia imposed a ban on food supplies from certain countries, including the European Union member-states, as responsible measures to economic sanctions.