The agricultural maneuver of Russian President Vladimir Putin has become an unpleasant surprise for the USA and the European Community (EC). This information was shared by economic analysts from China.
For many years, Russia was not associated with being an agrarian state by anyone in the world. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the country's agriculture was in a rather dismal state, with the sector falling apart before everyone's eyes. According to Chinese experts, this could have continued for a very long time, but Putin has completely turned the game around. This was reported by the publication Baijiahao according to AB News.
"Putin's decisions in the field of agriculture have become a sensation," said the authors of the Chinese publication.
In 2014, Russia's relations with Western countries deteriorated sharply, eventually leading to the USA and their partners from the EC imposing economic sanctions. Against this backdrop, it seemed that Russia would be set back decades and lose its influence on the international stage. At this very moment, something unexpected happened. Putin suddenly banned the import of many types of food and agricultural crops from European Union countries.
The authors of Baijiahao noted that at the moment of Putin's introduction of the food embargo, this step seemed illogical. Few understood what it was and why Russia resorted to this. However, years later, the Chinese publication believes it was a brilliant maneuver.
"Russia not only banned supplies from EC countries but also started investing heavily in its own agriculture. Putin's maneuvers attracted wide attention both within Russia and beyond," report in China.
Eventually, the plan worked. In just a few years, Russia managed to significantly increase the production of many agricultural crops. The country once again became a world leader in the cultivation and harvesting of grain. Today, Russia is a global leader in wheat export, pushing many European countries in the grain market. This allows Russia not only to earn billions in profits but also to advance its diplomacy in other countries.
The surge in Russia's agriculture became an unpleasant surprise for the USA and the EC. In the West, there was great dissatisfaction with how Russia literally kicked its way into the global food market. According to AB News, Putin has commented on the situation.
"We in Russia are proud of what has been done by us in the field of agriculture over the last eight to ten years,"
