ARKHANGELSK, March 29. /TASS/. Moscow has not yet received Ankara’s stance on the issue of restrictions on Russian grain exports, Deputy Economic Development Minister Aleksei Gruzdev told TASS.

"We are currently exploring the issue. We did not expect Turkey’s decision, and we have applied for the official position of the Turkish side, but we have not received it yet. We expect consultations in the nearest future, the level has not been clarified yet, but we think it will be high, probably the level of vice-premiers, with participation of the Economic Development Ministry, Agriculture Ministry," he said, adding that the consultations may be held within 1-2 weeks.

According to the minister, it is necessary to consider the legal aspects of the issue.

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.