MOSCOW, September 4 /TASS/. Russian imports of staple foods demonstrated a steady trend to decline in January-July 2015 in comparison to the same period last year, the Federal Customs Service said in its report.
According to the Federal Customs Service, the imports of fresh and frozen meat dropped by 31% to 369.5 tonnes in the first months of 2015 in relation to a similar period in 2014; The respective figures for poultry meat are - by 50% to 131.1 tonnes; fish - by 44% to 219.4 tonnes; butter - by 47% to 50.9 tonnes; cereal crops by 60% to 282.5 tonnes.
The imports of foreign meat products and canned meat dwindled by 52% to 9.1 tonnes.
Imports of all commodity items from foreign countries decreased as a direct consequence of the Russian food embargo imposed on some western countries in August 2014 in retaliation to the EU and US anti-Russian sanctions imposed over Russia’s policy in Ukraine.
The imports of cacao beans dropped by 39% to 18.5 tonnes in January-July 2015 compared to the same period in 2014 while the imports of cacao containing products dwindled by 53% to 33.2 tonnes. At the same time, tea and coffee imports remained approximately the same.
The imports of wheat and meslin coming predominantly from the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries dropped by 63% to 117.4 tonnes in January-July 2015 if compared to the same period last year.
The imports of alcoholic drinks and alcohol-free beverages, which are not under the embargo, have also decreased due to high prices caused by the euro and dollar rates, which have been rising since the start of 2015.