MOSCOW: Russian authorities said on Monday they were considering restricting all or some European Union fruit imports, mainly from eastern Europe.

The statement came hours after the Hague’s arbitration court ruled that Russia must pay $51.6 billion for expropriating the assets of the now-defunct oil producer Yukos, potentially a big hit for the country’s economy.

“Our experts will make a decision (on fruit imports) in a week or two,” Alexei Alekseenko, a spokesman for the Veterinary and Phyto­sanitary Survei­llance Service (VPSS), told Reuters, adding the move was linked to a lack of phytosanitary controls.

He declined to name the countries whose supplies could be hit, but said “first of all it’s an issue for eastern Europe.”

The largest fruit suppliers to Russia include Poland, Moldova and the Netherlands, he added.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2014