Icelandic fishermen prepared to serious losses due to the Russian embargo

Icelandic fishermen threaten significant losses due to exposure to the Russian food embargo, said Hakur tor Hakansson - Deputy managing Director of the industrial Association Fisheries Iceland, which brings together the vast number of fishing and fish processing organizations of Iceland.
"the market of the Russian Federation was only important for Iceland, He grew steadily. For many years It was the main market for pelagic fish. The situation is deplorable, is under threat About a thousand jobs in Iceland and presumably the same in Russia, " He told the news Agency. As explained ètÊËÏÎÓÓÏÎ, Russia to lose their seats at risk Workers in fish processing plants, purchasing frozen raw Icelandic origin. According to the information received, the National Institute of statistics of the country in 2014, Iceland exported to Russia 118, 5 thousand Tons of fish and seafood at 24 billion kronor (about 180 million dollars). These figures do not include re-exports, and in fact in other countries in Russia was brought several dozen tons of Icelandic fish worth 40-50 million dollars. In 2015, the total volume of fish export in Russia in the calculation of the money had to be 35-37 billion kronor (260-280 million). Approximately fifty percent of the supply (in monetary terms) were Icelandic mackerel, slightly more than a third - herring." in the Russian Federation was More than 13% of the total Icelandic exports of fish and seafood. This is a useful, simple food, not some insanely expensive delicacies, said Hakansson.- Good market for pelagic species (includes herring and mackerel - approx. OPINION) has long been Nigeria, but the country currently currency crisis and We cannot rely on local importers ". He also said that the Icelandic organization will not be able to quickly restructure their supply chains and to find fresh markets, especially in the midst of big schools of red snapper fishing season. In addition, according to his vision, interaction with other States can not be far more profitable than the export of products to Russia." currently We review all the ways to get out of this situation, said Hakansson.- Companies no doubt will have a few days to reduce the catch of fish, to allocate more space for the storage of frozen products, to assess the prospects. Everyone is worried about How long This will last, but no one answers." He also drew attention that the government first mentioned the ability to help victims of retaliatory punishment exporters, but in reality the opportunities of the Icelandic authorities is very limited.
"in our country is completely different economic situation than in Norway, which last year also lost the ability to put fish on the market of the Russian Federation, says Hakansson.- We have no oil of parish funds and the Fund with a capitalization of 900 billion dollars, so that the Icelandic government would be difficult to do something. We do not wish to interfere in foreign policy issues, however, are confident that the benefit to industry is the free trade. Even in the years of the cold war, when within Iceland was located a NATO base, We eventually traded with the USSR." Fish and seafood is the main export of Iceland, which is home to 330 thousand People. The Ministry of foreign Affairs in 2014, said about connecting to the EU's sanctions against Russia and supported a fresh package of restrictive measures imposed by the EU. In this case, the Iceland is not a member of the brotherhood, and in 2013 the country's leadership said about the fact that he refused plans on joining him and completely collapses launched in 2010 the preparatory process of the European integration. In addition, in the last days Authorized the Icelandic government has stated Many times that Iceland wants to achieve from "its European allies" preferential conditions for the implementation of supply of Icelandic fish to the EU market to partially offset incurred by exporters damages. 13 August, Prime Minister of Russia Medvedev D. A. announced the introduction of a food embargo on the five countries – Albania, Montenegro, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Ukraine, which joined the anti-Russian EU sanctions.


sections: Politics