Russia’s food self-sufficiency and food security: an assessment

The article differentiates between self-sufficiency and food security. The impact of Russia’s 2014 food embargo on the food system and food trade is analysed. Domestic production has increased and Russia has become more self-sufficient in food and seafood. In addition, food trading partners have changed. Western food and seafood trading partners have been replaced by trading partners from Asia and Central Asia. There is a high likelihood that the Russian food market has been lost to Western exporters for the foreseeable future. Even after sanctions and countersanctions end, it is difficult to see the pathway for Western food exporters to recapture market share in Russia.