(ANSA) - TRIESTE, 06 AGO - Italian agri-food exports lost 1.2 billion euros in six years due to the ban on entry into Russia of fruit and vegetables, cheeses, meat, and cured meats and fish, from the EU, the US, Canada, Norway, and Australia. That is what emerged from an analysis by Coldiretti, disclosed on the eve of the embargo anniversary. Moscow established the on August 7, 2014, and repeatedly renewed it as a retaliation for the EU's decision to apply sanctions to Russia for the war in Ukraine.

"This is an increasingly high and unsustainable cost for Italy in such a dramatic moment, due to the coronavirus emergency but also for the ongoing trade wars with the US and the tensions related to Brexit," said the president of Coldiretti Ettore Prandini. Prandini added that "we should use all diplomatic energies to overcome unnecessary conflicts and defend a strategic sector for the country and the EU, seriously damaged by trade disputes that have nothing to do with agriculture." Along with the lack of exports to Russia, Coldiretti specified, we are confronting the insult of the spread on the Russian market of imitation products that have nothing to do with 'made in Italy' goods. In Russian supermarkets, you can find local surrogates that have taken the place of original Italian foods, such as "Casa Italia" mozzarella, "Buona Italia" salad, Unagrande robiola, Milan mortadella. (ANSA).