Russia's ban on vegetable imports from all European countries may lead to a shortage of some kinds of produce and higher prices, leading retailers said on Thursday.
Russia banned the import of fresh vegetables on Thursday from all European Union countries because of an outbreak of a highly virulent strain of the E. coli bacteria which has killed at least 17 people.
"A number a European countries, primarily Belgium and the Netherlands account for a serious volume of supplies now," retail giant Seventh Continent spokeswoman Vlada Baranova said. "If there is no opportunity to import goods from these states, volumes that we need are unlikely to be compensated by analogues."
European supplies account for less than 20 percent of all vegetables sold by Russia's top grocery chain X5, but its spokeswoman Svetlana Vitkovskaya said that suppliers of some produce, like cauliflower and sweet pepper, would be difficult to replace.
Metro Cash & Carry buys 40 percent of its tomatoes, salad and cucumbers from Europe, the firm said.
"Suppliers are most likely to raise prices," a spokeswoman for the firm said.
Russia's Agriculture Ministry says that last year the country imported only 11 percent of its tomatoes and five percent of cucumbers. The EU says it supplies 20 percent of vegetables consumed in Russia.
MOSCOW, June 2 (RIA Novosti)
