For the first half of the current import season, running between July and December 2013, Russia imported 17 per cent less grapes in volume terms than the same period of 2012.
According to figures released by the Federal State Statistics Service and published by Fruit-inform, Russia's table grape imports dropped to 237,000 tonnes through the six-month period, down from 285,000 tonnes.
The decrease was linked in particular to the 10 per cent drop in volumes from Turkey, with 119,000 tonnes imported - the lowest number for four years.
Despite the Turkish fall, the country remains the major exporter of grapes to Russia, with over 50 per cent market share.
