Made in Italy agri-food exports to Russia have lost over 1.3 billion in the last six and a half years due to the embargo decided by Putin which still affects an important list of European products with a ban on the entry of fruit and vegetables, cheeses, meat and cured meats, but also fish, as a retaliation for EU sanctions. This is what emerges from an analysis by Coldiretti on the occasion of the visit of the high representative of European foreign policy Josep Borrell to meet his counterpart Serghei Lavrov after the conviction of the opponent Alexei Navalny.

The agri-food sector is the only sector still directly affected by the embargo decided by Russia with decree no. 778 of 7 August 2014 and renewed several times which led to the complete elimination of exports to Russia of products on the black list, from Parmigiano Reggiano to Grana Padano, from Parma ham to San Daniele ham, but also fruit and vegetables. To the direct damage of non-exports to Russia is added the diffusion on the market of imitation products that have nothing to do with made in Italy made in Russia (Parmesan, mozzarella, robiola, etc.) or in countries not affected by the embargo, such as scamorza, mozzarella, provoletta, mascarpone and ricotta made in Belarus, but also salami Milano, Parmesan and Gorgonzola of Swiss production and Parmesan or Reggianito of Brazilian or Argentine origin.

"The damage also concerns Italian restaurants in Russia which, after a rapid explosion, risks being curbed due to the lack of the main ingredients. In some cases the dishes have disappeared from the menus while, in others, they have been replaced by local or foreign tarots without, however, that there is a clear indication in the menus in the vast majority of restaurants. This is an unsustainable cost for Italy which must face the difficulties caused by the coronavirus emergency and it is important that the path of dialogue is resumed because the agri-food bargaining chips cannot be used in international negotiations without any consideration of the heavy impact that this entails on the economic, employment and environmental level", states Coldiretti.