Between February and April 2022, officials did not disclose any facts about the import of sanctioned goods into Russia, including food products. This was reported to socialbites.ca by the press service of the Federal Customs Service (FCS).
According to the FCS press service, there were no recorded cases of sanctioned products entering the country during that period. In recent years, overall import volumes into Russia have trended downward. The decline has been assisted by anti-smuggling measures implemented by the FCS and other supervisory authorities.
Representatives of the ministry noted that most sanctioned items entered Russia via Belarus, which used its own restrictions to counter unfriendly actions by the European Union. In this context, the main import corridor for sanctioned goods was reportedly blocked.
Rosselkhoznadzor provided statistics covering January through the end of April 2022, showing a sharp drop in sanctions-related imports compared with the previous year. The agency did not specify exact months when contraband products were detected, citing a broader downward trend instead.
From January 1 to April 27, 2021, Rosselkhoznadzor reported detecting 34.9 tons of illegally imported livestock and 1.5 thousand tons of crop products. For the same period in 2022, the figures dropped to 1.7 tons of livestock and 373 tons of crops. The ministry linked this decrease to the state’s effective work against smuggling.
The Rosselkhoznadzor press service noted that the statistics reflect fewer attempts to bring contraband items into the country, a consequence of robust government actions to curb smuggling.
As a result, Russia stopped destroying sanctioned products. A February 24 Rosselkhoznadzor update referred to the destruction of 306.8 kilograms of fresh apples of unknown origin that occurred on February 22 in the Chuvash Republic. The fruit was destroyed by mechanical means. Initial checks pointed to a lack of labeling on the packaging, and the boxes showed signs of tampering according to officials. The department had earlier identified a sanctioned goods site within a shopping complex owned by a private entrepreneur and could not determine the origin of the apples due to missing marks.
Dating back to 2015, a law mandated the destruction of sanctioned products. Before that, Russia had imposed a food embargo in 2014 in response to Western sanctions, which restricted imports from the United States, the European Union, Canada, Australia, and Norway. The destruction of sanctioned goods was widely reported. Practices ranged from denaturants and chlorine treatments to disposal in landfills, with meat being burned in adherence to sanitary rules.
Counter-sanctions and the shift in imports
Since counter-sanctions came into effect, observers note a general halt in sanctioned imports. Agreements and restrictions involving Belarus, Poland, and other partners have reduced the flow of items such as apples, fish, and salt through various routes. As of 2022, experts say logistics challenges have intensified, with international supply chains disrupted by the broader sanctions regime and the withdrawal or slowdown of foreign players in the Russian market.
Industry voices acknowledge that logistical hurdles will take time to overcome. One analyst remarked that goods sanctioned under the old regime are unlikely to return quickly. Economists, however, argue the domestic market will adapt. They point to supply diversification and increased domestic production as key factors. They cite examples such as high-quality beef and homegrown lamb, noting that domestic production is expanding to meet core consumer needs. In their view, the combination of new suppliers and stronger domestic farming is likely to stabilize supply without relying on previously sanctioned sources.
Overall, the prevailing assessment is that the domestic market will be less exposed to sanctions-driven shortages. This view rests on the availability of alternative suppliers, notably from Latin America and Asia, coupled with ongoing improvements in domestic production. The result should be a resilient supply chain that can withstand shifts in international relations while continuing to meet the needs of consumers within Russia.