Dijksma Is Going To Russia

State Secretary Sharon Dijksma of Agriculture will visit Russia on Wednesday and Thursday. She hopes that she can end the boycott of Dutch potatoes. The visit was already planned for some time. Although the relation of the Netherlands and Russia is under stress at this moment, the State Secretary thinks that it is important that the talks about agriculture will continue. Dijksma will not touch the issues which give at this moment rise to the stressed relationship of the two countries. The boycott, which started in July of this year, is hitting hard on the growers of potatoes. Especially now that the harvest of potatoes is much lower this year. The yield in 2013 is about 17 percent lower than the yield in 2012. The reason for the low yield is the cold Spring of 2013.