Natalia Zubarevich: food sanctions to hurt economy of North-Caucasian regions

The ban on foreign goods imports to Russia can lead to shortages of certain food products, such as beef. This opinion has been expressed by Natalia Zubarevich, Professor of Russian Economic and Social Geography from the Moscow State University (MSU). According to the Professor, most of all, the embargo will affect the North-Caucasian republics.

To change the situation, the government should change the credit policy for farming, believes Mikhail Delyagin, Director of the Institute of Globalization Problems.

Earlier, experts questioned by the "Caucasian Knot" have agreed that the sanctions will lead to the boom in domestic agriculture. Meanwhile, the experts have also noted that consumers will experience some difficulties.

According to Natalia Zubarevich, the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories will suffer from deficit least of all, since the major manufacturers are concentrated there. Meanwhile, the republics of the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) have no contracts with large wholesalers. The expert does not see any solution of the situation on the reason of bribery.

Natalia Zubarevich believes the prices for the products under sanctions will grow at the end of the year. She points out that the rise in prices will affect meat, winter vegetables and fruits and will not affect grain, at least in the south.

Meanwhile, farmers of the Rostov Region fear of increase of the supply of meat from Argentina and Brazil and complain about the difficulties of harvesting because of shelling from Ukraine, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.