Mexico Wants to Boost Agricultural Exports to Russia

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Mexico intends to increase its exports of agricultural products to Russia, the Mexican envoy to Moscow told Sputnik Tuesday.

The comments come as new niches for food suppliers emerged in the Russian market after earlier in the day the Russian government banned the import of a range of fruit and vegetables as well as chicken and chicken products from Turkey, effective from January 1, 2016.

"We've always wanted to increase our trade, it is not a short-term aim and is not dependent on the political situation at the moment," Ruben Beltran said.

Beltran added that Mexico expects Russia’s agricultural watchdog to clear the way for its agricultural products.

Tensions between Russia and Turkey ignited after a Turkish F-16 fighter jet shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber over Syrian territory on November 24. Ankara claimed that it downed the jet because it had violated Turkish airspace. Both the Russian General Staff and the Syrian Air Defense Command confirmed that the Russian jet never crossed into Turkish airspace.

On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to increase national security and introduce economic measures against Ankara. The measures ban or restrict the activities of Turkish organizations in Russia, as well as banning Russian employers from hiring Turkish citizens and also restrict charter air travel between the two countries.