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Russia’s deputy agriculture minister slams Turkey for violating WTO rules, protectionism

According to Russia’s Deputy Agriculture Minister Sergei Levin, Russia did not assume similar supportive measures that is why it now exports grain instead of flour

MOSCOW, March 21. /TASS/. Turkey has violated the WTO regulations propping up the milling industry, Russia’s Deputy Agriculture Minister Sergei Levin said Tuesday.

"Our closest neighbor, Turkey, has built up a strong milling industry subsidized by the government, which tapped almost all Arab and Asian markets it could, on the base of our grain, blatantly violating all WTO rules," he said.

According to Levin, Russia did not assume similar supportive measures that is why it now exports grain instead of flour.

Turkey excluded Russia from the list of countries free of duties for imports of agricultural products starting March 15. Now, Russia and some other countries are not on the list of states with duty-free imports that can deliver commodities for further processing and export free of payment of the duty amounting to 130%. Previously Russian exporters and their Turkish customers imported grain meant for processing and further export with zero duty, while they still had to pay a 130% duty in order to sell products locally.

Turkey is Russia’s second-biggest grain importer in volume terms after Egypt.

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