OREANDA-NEWS. November 19, 2014. For the first time in three years, Russia is ready to buy dairy cattle from Estonia as it seeks to boost milk production after imposing food import bans.

Currently, 180 animals are awaiting clearance and could make the trip to St. Petersburg next week, Saarte Haal reported.

The requirements to sell dairy cattle to Russia are many, but the average price is higher than selling to Europe, with each animal sold for around 1,500 euros, worth 200 more than selling them to other EU nations.

Experts say that Estonia could sell more cattle if collection centers were built. Smaller farms can only sell a few cows at a time, while foreign buyers are interested in larger quantities.

More sales could be on the way, with farmers from Belarus and Turkey arriving this week.