Alexander Mercouris — Putin Talks Agriculture, Confirms EU Food Import Ban Is Here to Stay

Those who hope Russia will lift its counter sanctions soon are going to be disappointed. The Russians have accepted the trade-off of a period of higher food prices in return for more food output and a stronger agricultural sector over the long term.…

Behind this focus on food production is an awareness of Russian agriculture’s vast potential. Despite sometimes difficult climatic and soil conditions the sheer size of the country means it has the economies of scale to join North America as the world’s breadbasket. More immediately, the government also knows how food shortages undermined the morale of Soviet society and exposed the country to US pressure through its reliance on food imports.

The Russian government is clearly determined both that that danger will be extinguished and that the full potential of Russian agriculture will finally be realised.

When Putin says that sanctions are blessing in disguise, it is not kidding. He has acknowledged that diversifying the Russia away from natural resources would have been difficult to impossible otherwise. He has no intention of turning back now. Russia has turned the corner.

Russia Insider

Putin Talks Agriculture, Confirms EU Food Import Ban Is Here to Stay
Alexander Mercouris