Fruit and vegetables embargo in Belorussia, who would profit

Since the 1st of January 2022, Belorussian government is imposing the embargo on the import of some food products, including fruit, vegetables and nuts, from the European Union and some other countries. Caused by the pressure from EU on Belorussia, according to B. Lukashenko, the President, this decision will influence negatively not only the prices at Belorussian market, but in Russia too: it is not a secret that the country re-exported fruit and vegetables and forwarded them to Russia.

The exporters from Poland, Spain, Greece and the Netherland would have to re-direct their export to other markets; however, it will take time, and farmers would have some losses before they find new channels of sales.

Conversely, the embargo may be beneficial for some countries, and particularly for Ukraine and Turkey. For instance, apples of traditional varieties largely produced in Ukraine are in demand exceptionally in Belorussia and RF, so its sales would increase significantly in absence of Poland, its main competitor. Besides, Belorussia imports from Ukraine open field and hothouse vegetables and re-exports to Russia early vegetables and fruit.

As for Turkey, their range of fruit and vegetables coincide with one from EU, thus, it can replace completely the former import sources