Sunday, October 19, 2014

Foodstuffs: The Great Lesson Of Sanctions (and commodities) Is Substitution

First thing that happens is someone loses a croc down the Moscow sewers where they breed without light, lose all pigmentation, become albino and.... oh wait. The 'Cow is colder than NYC.
Never mind.
From Barents Observer:

Philippine Crocodile approved for Russian dinner plates
 
Crocodile to be sold in Russia as a possible replacement for banned Western beef and pork
Russia set to snap up reptilian delicacy from the Philippines as a way to mitigate food strain from Western produce bans.

There may be a move away from traditional comfort food in Russia this winter to more exotic delicacies.
As a response to a barrage of Western sanctions the Russian government implemented a one-year ban on commercial imports of fresh produce from the U.S., Canada, EU, Norway and Australia. The result of which has caused something of a food conundrum in Russian shopping markets.

To make up for the bite in staples like pork and beef, Russia’s veterinary and phytosanitary service, Rosselkhoznadzor, has approved the import of crocodile meat from the Philippines. Iran is also rumoured to have offered to sell fish to Russia.

The crocodile announcement comes after several expensive months that have seen food prices soar to the 7.5 per cent inflation mark.

There is concern that what is now a culinary inconvenience could turn into a full-blown crisis during a long Russian winter when it’s too cold to farm and Russia becomes nearly wholly reliant on imported food....MORE