Thursday 14 August 2014

Opinion: Russia, an economic black hole for its neighbours – beyondbrics - Blogs - FT.com

Opinion: Russia, an economic black hole for its neighbours – beyondbrics - Blogs - FT.com:



"Pity any Russians wanting to sit down to their regular Sunday lunch of kangaroo steak, medium-rare. Thanks to the trade restrictions Vladimir Putin announced last week, Australia – along with the EU, US, Norway and Canada – found its food exports to Russia blocked forthwith.



As it happens, uninterrupted access to the Russian market is not something any food producer can take for granted. Russia, Australia’s largest market for kangaroo meat, also suspended trade (on bogus health grounds) between 2009 and 2013. And while Australian kangaroo exporters may bound off happily into other markets, Moscow’s consumers will struggle to source their marsupials from Russia’s remaining trading partners.



That is a slightly extreme example of the situation at which Russia has arrived. By alienating its neighbours, Russia has deprived itself not just of Australian kangaroo meat but of Moldovan wine, Ukrainian chocolate and Georgian tangerines. Its consumers are now looking forward to finding a variety of interesting and innovative things to do with buckwheat."



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