– Farmers go hungry as Russian agricultural import ban begins to bite (euronews, Sep 5, 2014):
The tit-for-tat sanctions between Russia and the EU and US is beginning to hurt farmers and the fishing industry.
Russia’s ban on most agricultural imports is having knock on effects across Europe.
In Hungary cheap Polish apples are flooding the market after Moscow introduced the sanction.
Miklós Poór, a Hungarian apple producer, says the situation could force vulnerable famers to the wall: “Those who don’t have anything put aside, now I mean money, or those who have taken on loans to expand etc…well they could be having some very difficult times right now.”
EU agricultural and fisheries ministers are meeting in Brussels today to discuss the situation and see what, if any support measures can be put in place to prop up producers.
Our correspondent Andrea Hajagos in Hungary says:“If we look across the entire Hungarian economy, Russia’s agricultural sanctions will not cause extreme hardship, but for those on the frontline, the producers, could well be forced to shut down.”
Playing hardball with Putin isn’t going to be fun for the players on the other team. Even those on his side will suffer……..but they are used to hardships……Europeans have enjoyed a couple of decades of affluence, and what is coming isn’t going to be easy.
Farmers are so essential, they produce food, something we literally cannot live without. Yet, they are always the ones hurt……….it isn’t right, but what is right in today’s world?