Because of the arms conflict with Ecuador: should the Russians now grow their own bananas?

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Bananas have become an integral part of many people’s diets. The yellow tropical fruits are a common food item in most countries. However, Russia could face a nationwide banana shortage within a month.

Oleg Knyaskov, head of Russia’s consumer protection agency, told the news portal Gazeta. The reason: President Vladimir Putin (71) imposed a ban on banana imports in early February.

It was originally said that vermin had been found in deliveries from five companies. But: Weeks earlier, Quito accepted an offer from the US to exchange Soviet-era military equipment for modern American weapons worth $200 million, writes the American newspaper “Newsweek”. The US said the equipment would be sent to Ukraine. According to insiders, this deal angered Putin.

A “reckless decision”

Ecuador’s move was strongly criticized by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. Ecuador made a “reckless decision under severe pressure from external interests.” “If it is junk, as they call it in Ecuador, it is unlikely that Washington will offer modern equipment for exchange, and for a quite impressive amount,” she said.

Russia imports about 90 percent of its bananas from Ecuador. State news agency Ria Novosti reports that the South American country faces a loss of $754 million as a result of the import ban. According to the consumer protection authority, the shortage is only temporary as several agreements have been signed with India, but the logistics problems could persist for a long time.

Home cultivation in Krasnodar?

Meanwhile, Knyaskov advised the Russians to plant their own bananas to compensate for the loss. He emphasized experiments in the Krasnodar Territory. Researchers have apparently succeeded in adapting the tropical trees to the local climate.

“Newsweek” already reported in December 2023 that there was a shortage of numerous products in Russia. During his press conference at the end of the year, Vladimir Putin apologized to the people for the nationwide egg shortage. ‘I’m sorry about this problem. This is a setback in the work of the government.” He will ensure that the problem is resolved in the short term. (An)

Source: Blick