Russia’s EU Envoy, EU Agriculture Commissioner Discuss Food Trade

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) — Earlier in October, President of the World Farmers Organization (WFO) Evelyn Nguleka told Sputnik that the European agricultural sector continues to struggle with economic losses due to Russia’s embargo on EU food imports as the average agricultural income in EU member states hit by the Russian embargo dropped by up to 20 percent.

“On 12 October 2015 Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the EU Ambassador Vladimir Chizhov met Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan,” the statement issued on Monday reads.

The Mission added that “the parties discussed the current state and prospects of Russia-EU relations in the field of food and agriculture, including issues of mutual interest related to ensuring safety of food trade.”

Relations between Russia and the European Union went downhill in 2014, when Brussels joined Washington in accusing Moscow of fueling the Ukrainian crisis and imposed economic sanctions as a punitive measure.

Russian authorities have refuted the accusations, observing that Western sanctions are counterproductive. In response to the Western measures, Russia announced in August 2014 a one-year food embargo on products originating in states that imposed sanctions. The ban has since been extended for another year.