在线英语听力室_免费在线英语听力学习网站

俄食品禁令引价格担忧

Russia retaliated¹ against Western sanctions imposed for its actions in Ukraine by halting food imports from the West. The temporary import ban on food from the European Union, North America, Norway and Australia has Russian consumers concerned that they could face sharp increases in food prices.  But in an ironic² twist, the restrictions³ have made Russia's domestic food producers hopeful this can boost their business.

西方因为俄罗斯在乌克兰的行动而对莫斯科实施制裁之后，俄罗斯为了报复，宣布停止从西方国家进口食品。对澳大利亚、欧盟、挪威和北美的临时食品进口禁令使俄罗斯消费者担心，他们将面临食品价格飙升的困境。不过，另一方面，俄罗斯国内的食品生产商为之振奋，希望进口禁令促进他们的生意。

Russia's largest meat producer, the Cherkizovo Group, supplies about 45,000 tons of chicken per day to the Moscow area.

Growth in domestic production has reduced Russia's dependence⁴ on meat and agricultural imports to about 10 percent.

俄罗斯国内产量的增加使它对肉类和农产品的进口依赖度降低到大约百分之十。

But the Kremlin's sanctions on Western food imports has some people worried that prices could go up. Among those troubled is Moscow shopper Yelena.

不过，克里姆林宫对西方食品进口的制裁使一些人担心食品价格上涨。顾客叶莲娜就是其中之一：

“Certainly I am very concerned. If the price of Russian-produced food goes up, I will feel it," she said. "But right now [Russian food prices] are competitive with [the price of imported] Western food."

“我当然很担心啦。如果俄罗斯产的食品价格上涨，我会感觉到。但是现在俄罗斯的食品价格与西方进口食品相比还是很有竞争力的。”

Russian authorities say the import limits will not drastically affect food supplies or prices. They expect to use suppliers in Asia and Latin America to replace their Western sources.

俄罗斯当局称，进口限制不会对食品供给或价格产生强烈影响。俄罗斯准备以亚洲和拉美的进口来代替西方货源。

Russia is one of the largest buyers of frozen poultry⁵ from the United States. Halting those imports could help companies like Cherkizovo gain market share.

俄罗斯是美国冷冻家禽肉类最大的买家之一。停止此类进口将帮助像切尔基佐沃这样的公司扩大市场份额。

Spokesman Yuri Cherchenko says the firm will soon double its output of semi-processed fresh poultry, and is ready to replace U.S. suppliers.

切尔基佐沃集团发言人尤里?切尔琴科表示，公司将很快加倍生产新鲜的半成品禽类，并已经准备好代替美国供应商。

“I think that the sanctions against imports are good for us, as national producers," he said. "They are an additional impulse to further develop Russia's own agricultural production."

“作为全国肉类生产商，我认为食品禁令对我们是有益的。这项制裁对俄罗斯本国农产品的进一步发展起到了额外的推动作用。”

But it is not only the big Russian producers who stand to benefit from a ban on Western foods.

不过，从西方食品禁令中获利的不只是俄罗斯大型食品生产商。

The dairy company Mosmedyn says its European-style cheeses, like mozzarella, are better than imports because they are delivered fresher.

奶制品公司莫斯迈迪恩（Mosmedyn）说，公司生产的像马扎里拉这类欧洲风格的奶酪更加新鲜，比进口的要好。

Deputy director Sergei Rezunenko says there is increased demand for his products, but he still is opposed, in principle, to market limits such as those created by the Russian ban on Western imports.

公司副经理谢尔盖?列祖年科表示，尽管对莫斯迈迪恩产品的需求增多，但他仍然在原则上反对市场限制，比如西方食品进口禁令。

“In view of world values, we should not build up a fence to separate ourselves. Because today we produce our milk with Swedish equipment," he said. "If the Swedes were not allowed in here, we would not have this plant and their equipment in it.”

“我们不可以与世隔绝。因为现在，我们用的是瑞典的设备生产牛奶。如果瑞典的东西被禁止，我们就不会有这个车间，和他们的设备。”

The sanctions related to Ukraine could result in a trade war between Russia and the West. The Kremlin is threatening a lawsuit⁶ at the World Trade Organization over the Western sanctions.

乌克兰相关的制裁可能会引发俄罗斯和西方的贸易战。克里姆林宫威胁要就西方制裁向世界贸易组织起诉。

Ironically, Russia's joining the WTO in 2012 was supported by the U.S. only after the two sides negotiated an end to an earlier Russian ban on American poultry products.