PRAGUE, September 11. /ITAR-TASS/. Losses of Czech dairy producers are estimated as at least 300 million crowns (about $15 million) due to the Russian food embargo on some western countries in response to sanctions over Ukraine, the chairman of the Czech Milk Producers Union said on Thursday.

“Just a month ago I would have said that the Czech dairy industry is developing fairly well,” Jiri Kopacek said. “However, then came sanctions, and now we keep counting losses,” he added.

Many of Czech dairy producers invested big money into advertising their products in Russia, he said, adding that these marketing losses were estimated at an equivalent of about $2.5 million.

Before the embargo, the Czech Republic was importing to Russia fluid and dry milk, butter and different cheese pastes. Russia imposed on August 6 a one-year ban on imports of beef, pork, poultry, fish, cheeses, fruit, vegetables and dairy products from Australia, Canada, the EU, the United States and Norway.