MOSCOW, June 3. /TASS/. Russia will search for alternative end markets after the EU’s approval of increased duties on Russian food, Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut told TASS.
"Fat-and-oil products were probably the main products that we supplied there. Last year high volumes of hard wheat were supplied, especially to Italy due to pasta production. Consequently, now that the EU has approved duties we will obviously search for alternative end markets [for fat-and-oil products and sugar beet pulp]," she said.
"Russia remains committed to humanitarian policy," Lut stressed. "If people need food we will supply food," she said.
"From the viewpoint of export, we will search for alternative markets, we got prepared for this situation, it is not unexpected for us, we have roadmaps on how to proceed," the minister explained.
Other markets "are all Russia’s key partners, targeted countries," she added.
Earlier, the EU Council greenlighted the introduction of prohibitive tariffs on import of agriculture products from Russia and Belarus starting July 1.