After the assertion by dairy farmers that the import of milk and dairy products from the EU has increased as a consequence of the one year ban on export of these products from the EU to Russia, the same story is being repeated with meat, which is confirmed by the fact that the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH is carefully monitoring and analyzing data on imports.
Ministry’s analysis
The ministry is performing certain analyses when it comes to meat and meat product imports in BiH. The analysis will be completed in the near future; however, according to preliminary data, certain specific trends can be noted, and it is essential to determine their causes before undertaking any further steps, the institution confirms.
“In any case, after the conclusion of these analyses and identification of relevant developments in the context of quantity and price of imported meat and meat products, in accordance with the results that will come out, and taking into account the prescribed procedure, the relevant authorities in BiH will undertake appropriate action,” the ministry said.
At the same time, the Fowlers’ Association of the Federation of BiH announced that fowlers are in the same position as farmers and dairy producers, who these days are blocking customs terminals to prevent the importation of milk, and this is about the best organized agricultural production sectos.
The problems of BiH producers are a direct consequence of EU-Russia relations, and Russian media is also reporting this. As Voice of Russia states, BiH is becoming a victim of the EU’s attempts to export goods stopped by Russian market countersanctions at any cost. Due to the Russian contraembargo, import of food products into BiH could escalate to unimaginable proportions, because EU countries are seeking opportunity in third markets.
Agricultural budget
“Retailers in BiH, behind which stands EU capital, are causing domestic producers to lower their prices if they want their products to be on the store shelves,” writes the Voice of Russia, and as an example cites Holland, who exported food products valued at €530 million to Russia and are now trying to find a new market.
They emphasize that the formation of an agricultural budget for EU members in Brussels would mitigate the consequences of the prohibition of export of products of animal origin from the EU to Russia that provoked a great influx of these products on the BiH market at extremely low prices.
(Source: Oslobođenje)
