Just 10% of the 4,000 Dutch exporters will be hit by the Russian boycott of fresh food produce, the central statistics agency CBS said on Friday.

Of these, between 20 and 25 will be badly affected because over half of their turnover comes from Russia, the CBS said.

However, not only exporters will feel the effects of the boycott. Farmers, market gardeners and the transport sector will also feel the pinch.

Help

Help is at hand for farmers and market gardeners with the announcement by junior economic affairs minister Sharon Dijksma that she is introducing a short-time working scheme.

The scheme will allow farmers and market gardeners to place their workers on unemployment benefit for a limited period without having to sack them.

The government is also proposing a guarantee scheme whereby badly hit companies will be able to get a bank loan.

Food banks

Dijksma will announce the details of these schemes later on Friday. She will also talk to the food banks to ensure that unsold fresh produce gets ‘a really worthwhile destination’.

In the meantime, several supermarkets have announced campaigns aimed at encouraging customers to eat more Dutch fruit and vegetables to counter over-production.

Compensation for those affected by the Russian boycott will be discussed next week during a meeting of European ministers.