Catalonian fresh fruit association Afrucat has released images showing that the Russian ban on fresh produce imports from the EU, US, Australia, Canada and Norway is already having an impact on consumers in the country.
Two images unveiled by the association show both empty supermarket shelves, and a poster limiting consumers to 5kg of peaches per purchase (pictured) as a result of the ban on European fruit.
'We are living in a surreal situation where, in the 21st century, there are countries that are forced to pull production, while a few kilometres away another is rationing food to its inhabitants,' said Manel Simon, director general at Afrucat.
Afrucat noted that four of the top five fresh produce items imported by Russia are fruits – apples, pears, peaches and nectarines – and the third largest exporter in the EU is Spain, behind Lithuania and Poland.
The association added that it was still waiting to receive the draft regulations announced by European agriculture minister Dacian Ciolos, with Afrucat feeling that the current proposed measures to tackle a potential market collapse in Europe are insufficient.
'We have no partner who wishes to withdraw before serving a customer, but what we ca not allow is that political decisions put in check all strategic sectors such as agriculture and food,' Simon added.
