The first Turkish strawberries and grapes have been exported to Russia, according to Turkish media based on data from the Turkish customs. Russia supposedly imported 322 tonnes of strawberries and three tonnes of grapes. This means the sanctions have been officially lifted. Tomatoes are still being boycotted, although it’s assumed the boycott will be lifted between November and April. Last week, the Russian State Secretary of Economic Development announced they were starting the negotiations regarding this dossier. Russia wants to protect the investments that have been made in the cultivation of tomatoes, which is why the boycott is still in effect officially.
Sudan is also picking up exports to Russia. The African country wants to export fruit and vegetables to Russia for the first time ever, according to the ambassador in Moscow. In recent years, trade between the two countries improved considerably. Last year, trade was 150 per cent higher than in 2015.