ROME, October 23 (RIA Novosti) - Temporary import restrictions on cattle, swine and poultry by-products imposed by Russia will cost Italy 3.2 euro (some $4 million) a year, Coldiretti, a major association of Italian agricultural producers, stated Thursday.
According to Coldiretti, a previously introduced ban on the import of foodstuffs from the European Union alongside with other countries has already decreased Italian export to Russia by 63 percent just in one month and is expected to cause 200 million euro ($253 million) losses for Italian agricultural producers in one-year period.
Moreover, the association claims the restrictions have also affected export of other Italian goods, such as automobiles (fell by 50 percent), pharmacy products (fell by 32 percent) and textile (fell by almost 25 percent).
Rosselkhoznadzor imposed temporary import restrictions on cattle, swine and poultry by-products including fats over the pathogenic germs and heavy metals that had been detected in the food imports from a number of producers. The restrictions came into force on October 21.
On August 7, Russia introduced a ban on the import of foodstuffs from the United States, the European Union, Canada, Australia and Norway. The embargo targeting the import of meat, fish, dairy, fruit and vegetables came in response to several waves of sanctions implemented against Russia by the United States and its allies over the country's alleged involvement in the Ukrainian crisis. Moscow has repeatedly denied the allegations and called the measures counterproductive.
