MOSCOW, July 4This May, Russia halved imports of the most popular types of citrus fruits from Turkey compared to last year: the supply of oranges decreased the most — by 14 times, according to mutual trade data.
In total, in May of this year, the country bought 5.6 thousand tons of oranges, tangerines, grapefruits and lemons from Turkey, reducing the volumes by half. Oranges showed the most noticeable negative dynamics: imports in annual terms dropped 14 times — to 77 tons. And their share in the total volume of imports from Turkey against this background decreased to 1%, whereas a year earlier it reached 10%. 
Imports of tangerines fell 6.5 times, to 411 tons — this type of citrus fruit accounted for 7% of imports at the end of spring. And purchases of lemons dropped threefold — to 2.2 thousand tons. Lemons remain one of the most popular Turkish fruits on Russian tables: they accounted for 40% of imports.
Finally, the most noticeable share — 52% of imports — was occupied by grapefruits. Among the listed brethren, only they were able to show positive dynamics in annual terms: volumes increased six times, to 2.9 thousand tons.
Turkey accounts for about 11% of the total assortment of citrus fruits and on average 23-25% of the assortment of oranges in retail chains, said Igor Karavaev, chairman of the AKORT presidium.
In addition to Turkey, oranges are supplied to the Russian market by Morocco, Egypt, Iran and Brazil. Also, some retail chains offer oranges grown in Russia. At the same time, according to him, there is no reduction in the range of oranges, including Turkish supplies, in Russian retail chains.