MOSCOW, May 27. /TASS/. The Russian Agriculture Ministry prepares draft Government decree to extend food embargo until the end of 2017. At the same time, the ministry does not propose to expand the list of the products prohibited for import to Russia, Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev told journalists on Friday.

"The Russian Agriculture Ministry has already started to prepare the draft decree providing extension of the response measures until the end of 2017. The list of agricultural products is not planned for expansion, we are talking only about extending the duration," he said, adding that extension of food embargo is "good news for domestic agricultural producers."

Earlier on Friday, Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev directed to draft proposals on extension of the food embargo until 2017 year-end.

"I asked to draft proposals on extension of response measures until 2017 year-end and not for a year. An address to the President and the government decree framing the required decision will be prepared. Therefore those dealing with the agricultural business will have a longer planning horizon for investments, as agricultural companies repeatedly requested," the Prime Minister said.

Domestic agricultural producers repeatedly supported continuation of the food embargo on goods from countries that imposed sanctions against Russia or joined them later, Medvedev added.

Food embargo

On June 24, 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on extendeding Russia’s counter-sanctions against EU countries, the US, Canada, Australia and Norway through August 5, 2016. According to the document the Russian government excludes young mussels, spat and young trout from the food embargo list.

Additionally the Russian Government toughened requirements for lactose-free production in the framework of the food embargo. Now these products can be imported to Russia only if they are certified as medical and preventive production.

The rest of the list subject to counter-sanctions remained unchanged. It includes beef, chicken, pork, dairy products, live, chilled and frozen fish and shellfish, nuts, fruits and vegetables.

Biologically active dietary supplements, sports, children's and preventive nutrition, salmon spawn, potatoes seed, planting onion, sugar beet and peas for planting are excluded from the list.