MOSCOW, October 9. /TASS/. The Russian Ministry of Agriculture does not rule out an increase of the import duty on flowers from unfriendly countries if necessary, Minister Oksana Lut said during the meeting of the Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian parliament.

"External support measures are also present. We have introduced the 20% duty since July of this year, actually the semi-prohibitive duty on supply of flowers from unfriendly countries. If we understand that, for example, there is a need to adjust something and increase the duty, it means we will increase it. We will look further at opportunities of introducing the like duties," Lut said.

Unfriendly countries accounted for about 19% of flower supplies to the Russian market, the minister said. "This is why we introduced restrictions presently," Lut stressed.

"We will move step by step to provide the market for our flower growers," she added.

The Russian government approved earlier the higher customs duty on imports of flowers from unfriendly countries. The duty of 20% of the customs value was set on cut flowers and buds for making bunches or for decorative purposes. The duty is in effect until December 31, 2024 inclusive.