Italy counts cost of sanctions as Russia spurns pears, Grana Padano

ROME (Reuters) - Russia has sent entire shipments of Grana Padano cheese back to Italy and cancelled exports of pears from Modena under a food import ban which could cost Italy at least 200 million euros, an agriculture group said on Friday.

Russia's ban on imports of specific foods from countries that have imposed sanctions over the Ukraine crisis puts at risk exports which were worth about 228 million euros ($306 million)(182.45 million British pound) in 2013, the Coldiretti group said.