The Russian Government has given some positive indications that it may allow the market to re-open for food imports from the EU, however only on the condition it is processed in Russia.

Newspaper Izvestia reported reported Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the embargo may be loosened, responding to a request from Greece to lift sanctions on "key agricultural production" crops such as peaches, strawberries, kiwifruit and oranges.

"There are quite straightforward rules of the World Trade Organization, and Russia, as a WTO member, cannot choose. We cannot impose sanctions against EU member states and selectively lift sanctions on one of the countries," Peskov was quoted as saying.

However, he said direct deliveries of agricultural products could be replaced with "imports of raw materials with an investment in Russia-based food processing facilities", the story reported.

Fruitnews.ru general director Irina Koziy was sceptical of the proposal when speaking with Izvestia.

"According to the so-called tolling scheme, the provider (in this case, of fruits and berries) gives the plant a contract for processing, without losing ownership of their products," Koziy was quoted as saying.

"So far, processing is expensive in Russia and it's worth more to suggest the opposite - processing abroad."

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