Russia has actually moved to shield its domestic caviar industry by raising import tasks for United States imports of the delicacy, the RBC Daily newspaper said Friday.
Very little import tariffs were increased from $7 to $14 per kg of caviar, the report said, citing agents of unspecified import companies.
The hike takes location against a background of enhanced political tensions over Ukraine, but precedes it, having actually been implemented since January but not reported earlier, RBC said.
Alaskan caviar saved Russia’s winter holiday period after a poor domestic harvest in the Far East in 2012.
Red caviar is an obligatory treat at Russian festivities, including New Year’s, Christmas and birthday parties.
Russia’s yearly caviar consumption is estimated at 13,000 to 15,000 lots. Last year’s imports stood at nearly 2,500 tons, the majority of it from Alaska, according to the Federal Customs Service.
Russian caviar manufacturers have actually accused importers of misreporting caviar production rates in the United States in order to pay smaller import costs.
Even the present protectionist measures would not be adequate to save domestic caviar manufacturers, whose crop will still be about 50 percent more costly than Alaskan caviar even after the toll hike, RBC shared.
