Just A Coincidence

The Russians say the timing and aim of any bans against European Union and U.S. products and Moscow's backing of Ukraine separatists, is just a coincidence.   But experts charge bans against some E-U produce and rising threats against U.S. poultry and key menu items of U.S. fast food chains, are classic Russian retaliation.  Former USDA Trade Adviser and now Washington Trade Consultant Paul Drazek adds.

DRAZEK: So far, I haven't seen any indication that it's likely to get better. Sanctions keep getting ratcheted up by the west against Russia and Russia seems now inclined to respond in kind.

But Drazek says Russia's already cut its imports of U.S. meats.

DRAZEK: They're been playing games on sanitary issues with U.S. products including beef, pork and poultry for years and it's really not gotten any better even after they joined the WTO. I said at the time, I thought Russia would turn out to be the worst WTO member ever and I think that's coming about.

Just seven percent of U.S. poultry exports now end up in Russia, and U.S. pork exports there collapsed on Russia's ban last year.  Drazek says there's little room for more damage.  Russia gets about a quarter of its produce from the E-U, but Russian media claims it can be replaced from others, such as Turkey, Israel, China, Iran and Argentina.  Drazek calls that claim bogus.

DRAZEK: It also makes you wonder about the plausibility of their basic argument that U.S. products aren't safe when they're going to countries other than the U.S. where most people would argue that they're not as safe.

That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.