Slovenia exports around EUR 30m in agricultural and food products to Russia every year, Židan explained, adding that if the embargo lasted for a whole year, as currently planned, Slovenian exporters would be at a loss totalling EUR 10m.

At the meeting, Slovenia thanked the European Commission for taking quick measures after Russia imposed the ban on imports of selected food products from the EU in August. "We also requested that the EU aid is equal for all countries and producers - regardless of how they are organised," Židan said.

The minister finds it important that humanitarian organisations have the advantage in receiving the excess food. "In Europe 40 million people are suffering from a lack of food, and it is right that the removed food is brought to these people."

The government will draft in a week's time a decree which will enable that the excess food is given to humanitarian organisations as well as schools, kindergartens and hospitals, according to Židan.

Production of apples is the most affected by the Russian ban in Slovenia, as around 4,000 tonnes of apples had to be removed from the market. The Agriculture Ministry would like to see producers donate to humanitarian organisations.

It has been estimated that a year-long embargo would cause a EUR 5.8bn loss in exports in the entire EU. According to the European Commission, the fruit and vegetables sector would suffer a EUR 3.4bn loss, followed by milk and milk products with a EUR 1.3bn loss.