Greek growers 'hold their breath' for possible Russian ban
After Russia placed a ban on key Polish produce items earlier this week, authorities now have Greece in their sights for a ban that could see producers 'go bust overnight'. 
Russia has reportedly been considering a ban on all Greek fruit imports since May, amid escalating economic sanctions imposed by the European Union in response to political unrest in the Ukraine.
Association of Greek Export and Consignment Enterprises for Fruits, Vegetables and Juices (Incofruit) president George Frangistas told www.freshfruitportal.com any ban imposed now would be less severe than one at the start of the summer season, but it would greatly impact much of the fruit industry.
"The ban would have rather destructive repercussions on our sector," Frangistas said.
"[In May] Russia threatened to ban not just Greek but EU produce, which would have been a disaster back then because it was the beginning of our stonefruit season and our strawberry season."
"We were lucky to have avoided that so far - if they implement it now we're going to feel the trailing end of our stonefruit season that will be affected."
According to Frangistas, Russia is a hugely important market for several Greek fruits, and receives 50% of its strawberries, 30-35% of its stonefruit, and around 25% of its cherries.
He added that kiwifruit was the only winter crop exported heavily to Russia, and a ban would mainly affect that item more than summerfruit.
"Depending on where you stand, if you are a north Greek exporter of kiwifruit or a strawberry exporter from the south and something like that happens you basically go bust over night," he said.
"Everybody is holding their breath waiting for developments."
Frangistas also said he believed the potential ban had nothing to do with any phytosanitary issues, as claimed by Russia, and it was an entirely political matter.
"It's a tit-for-tat kind of thing," he said.
"The Russians did what they did with the Crimea, and then the EU backed by the U.S. are imposing restrictions on various Russian dignitaries and then businessmen while the crisis in the Crimea keeps escalating and the EU keeps threatening further sanctions.
"So as we threaten more sanctions they are threatening banning produce."
Photo: www.shutterstock.com
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