Stupidity similar to GDP. Russia export a lot of cheap food and import small amount of very expensive delicasies or fruits and nuts that just does not grow here. Small can of truffels or super-expensive French cognac or wine for thousands of dollars is nowhere (except that empty void in heads of so-called "economy experts") equal to the tons of grain or pork.
That food export/import balance map is total bullshit. Try to find a map that show export/import balance in mass units, not in some fiat shit.
Bread is a must for Russians. We eat a lot of bread, with nearly any dish including tea. Bread types we have are wheat (white) and rye (black). Russian bread is slightly different than european, more like from short pastry but not sweet. Black bread seem to be unique, never saw it in Europe, but it liked a lot here. European type rye bread exists too, but less popular.
Also pasta and all that stuff. And of course pirogi (do not mix with Polish pirogy that like large ravioli) - it is some kind of Russian analog of pizza - some stuffing, anything, from meat and vegetables to jam, may be just like pizza - anything left in fridge, folded in short pastry and baked in stove.
Also we eat kasha - like oatmeal, but not watery, from different seeds - wheat, buckwheat, pearl barley, rice, and so on.
So, yes, we eat wheat and other grains a lot.
Weather is not a problem, mostly because of centuries of selection, including winter varieties. There should be something really exceptional with weather to significantly lower crops.
Next thing is vegetables - this is usual, potatoes, cabbage, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers and so on. May be less pumpkin, more turnip.
Meat and fish is also usual. Turkey is not very popular. As for fish, may be less tuna (very expensive for unknown reason), more sturgeon and salmon. Also I like shark - there are small sharks that live in White and Black seas - katran (Spiny dogfish).
Fruits - local are apples, pears, watermelons, melons - all that could grow in our climate. Tons of different berries. Imported - nearly anything from all over the world.
USA has 2.5x the population and c. 60% of the land area, all dependent on massive fossil fuel industrially fertilized agriculture.
If you add Canada to that, things will look more or less compatible. US even will have some advantage in having more tropical territories that allow growing many useful plants that can't grow in higher lattitudes.
But, even if I don't see how US and Canada could break their close relations, in our clown world everything is possible, and I will not be very surprised if US will suddenly invade some Canada provinces breaking everything.
Though, say conservatives win elections in US and began to make America great again, then Turdeau declare emergency and begin violently deport US citizens as a threat to his democracy and inclusivity, seizing their property, US ivades to protect US citizens... Fuck, that's look perfectly possible in our clown world!
Agricultural production vs domestic population (when talking about self sufficiency in a scarce world) should always be compared as bioavailable essential nutrients on EROEI basis, not in USD equivalent exports, or even calories
Exactly. But economists and business seem to not understand that at all.
For example, why are Americans so retarded that no one here knows how circuit boards work and we depend on imports for all our circuit boards and memory chips and graphics cards and circuit electronics?
Why does the average student, after 13 years of government education, not even know how a simple fucking circuit works? They couldn't wire up a fucking light bulb socket or a common everyday light switch in their own house. Fucking retard Americans.
Sometimes I wire up a new light fixture and a homeowner is amazed like I did magic. I wired together two wires to a motor controlled by the switch on the wall. Morons with three college degrees are in awe.
No. Most import is mostly consumer electronics, cars and clothes. And now it is mostly from China.
Machinery improted too, but not in significant amounts, because Russian Federation Central Bank do everything to make any development of local manufacturing that needs machinery nearly impossible according to IMF "recommendations".
Agriculture mostly use Russian and Belorussian machinery. Check Rostselmash or MTZ (Minsk Tractor factory) f.e. so there are no need in import of agricultural machinery, especially after a story with John Deer repair policy.
Russia have positive foreing trade balance for a decade. We export more than import. And it is very bad, because for export we get useless fiat paper instead of useful goods, like machinery. That useless fiat currency is just stockpiled for nothing as state reserves and slowly rotting due to inflation. It is IMF "recommendation" too.
Of course, if IMF shills will be finally prosecuted here and Russia quit all that terrorist organisations like IMF, WTO and other, than machinery import will skyrocket in a blink, since nearly all machinery manufacturing was destroyed in 90-s, again, according to IMF "recommendations" and as a term of joining WTO.
But, unfortunately, this does not look like something that will happen soon.
Werent there big food shortages there back in the 90's... I seem to remember that?
Yes, that was a case in late 80s and early 90s. But that was not because of problems with production, but because of intentional disruption of finacial system and supply chains.
China build a wall to separate itself from nothern neighbours. They are not very interested in expansion to the north, they don't like climate here. There are much less Chineese in nothern countries, than in warmer one. I think they will just prefer trade than war with Russia.
Stupidity similar to GDP. Russia export a lot of cheap food and import small amount of very expensive delicasies or fruits and nuts that just does not grow here. Small can of truffels or super-expensive French cognac or wine for thousands of dollars is nowhere (except that empty void in heads of so-called "economy experts") equal to the tons of grain or pork.
That food export/import balance map is total bullshit. Try to find a map that show export/import balance in mass units, not in some fiat shit.
My research confirms what you said.
I agree the map tells a distorted narrative.
Short introduction to Russian cuisine.
Bread is a must for Russians. We eat a lot of bread, with nearly any dish including tea. Bread types we have are wheat (white) and rye (black). Russian bread is slightly different than european, more like from short pastry but not sweet. Black bread seem to be unique, never saw it in Europe, but it liked a lot here. European type rye bread exists too, but less popular.
Also pasta and all that stuff. And of course pirogi (do not mix with Polish pirogy that like large ravioli) - it is some kind of Russian analog of pizza - some stuffing, anything, from meat and vegetables to jam, may be just like pizza - anything left in fridge, folded in short pastry and baked in stove.
Also we eat kasha - like oatmeal, but not watery, from different seeds - wheat, buckwheat, pearl barley, rice, and so on.
So, yes, we eat wheat and other grains a lot.
Weather is not a problem, mostly because of centuries of selection, including winter varieties. There should be something really exceptional with weather to significantly lower crops.
Next thing is vegetables - this is usual, potatoes, cabbage, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers and so on. May be less pumpkin, more turnip.
Meat and fish is also usual. Turkey is not very popular. As for fish, may be less tuna (very expensive for unknown reason), more sturgeon and salmon. Also I like shark - there are small sharks that live in White and Black seas - katran (Spiny dogfish).
Fruits - local are apples, pears, watermelons, melons - all that could grow in our climate. Tons of different berries. Imported - nearly anything from all over the world.
I don't think so. Food export is something near 20% of production. So, it is nowhere enough to feed 3x population.
If talk about potential maximum, it is also nowhere near 3x, something like 30x or so. There are a lot of undeveloped land in Russia.
If you add Canada to that, things will look more or less compatible. US even will have some advantage in having more tropical territories that allow growing many useful plants that can't grow in higher lattitudes.
But, even if I don't see how US and Canada could break their close relations, in our clown world everything is possible, and I will not be very surprised if US will suddenly invade some Canada provinces breaking everything.
Though, say conservatives win elections in US and began to make America great again, then Turdeau declare emergency and begin violently deport US citizens as a threat to his democracy and inclusivity, seizing their property, US ivades to protect US citizens... Fuck, that's look perfectly possible in our clown world!
Exactly. But economists and business seem to not understand that at all.
America has its own problems.
For example, why are Americans so retarded that no one here knows how circuit boards work and we depend on imports for all our circuit boards and memory chips and graphics cards and circuit electronics?
Why does the average student, after 13 years of government education, not even know how a simple fucking circuit works? They couldn't wire up a fucking light bulb socket or a common everyday light switch in their own house. Fucking retard Americans.
Sometimes I wire up a new light fixture and a homeowner is amazed like I did magic. I wired together two wires to a motor controlled by the switch on the wall. Morons with three college degrees are in awe.
No. Most import is mostly consumer electronics, cars and clothes. And now it is mostly from China.
Machinery improted too, but not in significant amounts, because Russian Federation Central Bank do everything to make any development of local manufacturing that needs machinery nearly impossible according to IMF "recommendations".
Agriculture mostly use Russian and Belorussian machinery. Check Rostselmash or MTZ (Minsk Tractor factory) f.e. so there are no need in import of agricultural machinery, especially after a story with John Deer repair policy.
Russia have positive foreing trade balance for a decade. We export more than import. And it is very bad, because for export we get useless fiat paper instead of useful goods, like machinery. That useless fiat currency is just stockpiled for nothing as state reserves and slowly rotting due to inflation. It is IMF "recommendation" too.
Of course, if IMF shills will be finally prosecuted here and Russia quit all that terrorist organisations like IMF, WTO and other, than machinery import will skyrocket in a blink, since nearly all machinery manufacturing was destroyed in 90-s, again, according to IMF "recommendations" and as a term of joining WTO.
But, unfortunately, this does not look like something that will happen soon.
Yes, that was a case in late 80s and early 90s. But that was not because of problems with production, but because of intentional disruption of finacial system and supply chains.
China build a wall to separate itself from nothern neighbours. They are not very interested in expansion to the north, they don't like climate here. There are much less Chineese in nothern countries, than in warmer one. I think they will just prefer trade than war with Russia.