RUSSIA-CRISIS/FOOD-CHEESE FARMER Russian farmer opens cheese factory to benefit from Western food ban
Record ID:
144723
RUSSIA-CRISIS/FOOD-CHEESE FARMER Russian farmer opens cheese factory to benefit from Western food ban
- Title: RUSSIA-CRISIS/FOOD-CHEESE FARMER Russian farmer opens cheese factory to benefit from Western food ban
- Date: 7th August 2015
- Summary: DUBROVSKOE, RUSSIA (AUGUST 7, 2015) (REUTERS) OPENING CEREMONY OF "RUSSIAN PARMESAN" CHEESE FACTORY OUTSIDE MOSCOW / CURTAIN FALLS UNVEILING FACTORY'S FACADE WORKERS INSIDE FACTORY MILK IN TUB CHEESE FACTORY OWNER OLEG SIROTA STANDING BY TUB WITH MILK CHEESE FACTORY STAFF FILMED THROUGH GLASS WALL SIGN ON FACTORY BUILDING READING (RUSSIAN) "RUSSIAN PARMESAN" PLAQUES ON FAC
- Embargoed: 22nd August 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA673H5HBPMZKO6DWNYGJ0XOZ0B
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Oleg Sirota, the former IT-specialist turned farmer, opened his new cheese-making factory on Friday (August 7), a year after the Russian President Vladimir Putin introduced the Western food ban in retaliation for sanctions against Russia.
For Sirota, then a wealthy entrepreneur, the introduction of sanctions became a life turning point.
"Last year, when sanctions were introduced I realised that it was my dream and that I can fulfill and I need to do my best for it and now it is the right time for me to achieve it," Sirota told Reuters outside his newly-built cheese factory in a village of Dubrovskoe, 80 kilometers west of Moscow.
Russia banned many Western food imports last year in retaliation for sanctions imposed by the United States, European Union and other of their allies during the confrontation over Ukraine.
"I've decided to sell my flat, I've sold two cars - Mercedes and Toyota, took a loan of 120,000 U.S. dollars and decided to spend it all on a cheese factory, because dreams must be fulfilled ", said Sirota, who currently lives in a tent outside the cheese factory. He has no regrets about drastically changing his lifestyle and considers introduction of Western foods ban a turning point in the history of Russia.
"We all worked hard to open on August 7. For us it is a great day, the day of our great happiness. A year ago a decision was made that changed our country forever," said Sirota, who named his sheep after the German Chancellor Angela Merkel in retaliation to Western politics towards Russia.
Crowd of journalists as well as representatives of the local authorities attended the opening ceremony of the factory with named "Russian Parmesan" by its owner.
Producing Parmesan in Russia is Sirota's dream he hopes to realise in future.
"Parmesan is a king of cheese. There are two types of cheese that are considered the top of cheese-making - Parmesan and Emmental. We will make them eventually, but right away of course we will not be able to make this kind of cheese, because we need to develop technology to make it. But our cheese factory has an optimistic name "The Russian Parmesan" and we will make it."
For now his factory is making a Russian version of Italian mozzarella.
The ban on Western foods import is currently in place until August 5, 2016. It covers a wide range of imports including pork, beef, poultry, fish and seafood, milk and dairy products, fruits, vegetables and nuts. It applies to food from the United States, EU, Canada, Australia and Norway.
On Thursday (August 6) Russia started destroying illegally imported western food. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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