French apples

Following the example of their Polish counterparts, French apple producers have called on their country's consumers to 'eat apples' as a way of resisting the Russian ban on EU fruit and vegetables.

French exporters usually send around 30,000-45,000 tonnes of apples a year to Russia, be that 3-4 per cent of total production, far less than the average 500,000 tonnes shipped by Polish companies.

However, French producers are expected to feel an effect, as Polish apples intensify the competition in markets like the UK and Algeria, lowering prices as a result.

In Poland, consumers have taken to Twitter and other social media sites to protest the Russian ban, posting photos of themselves eating apples and drinking cider.