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Although the British Government did not follow suit directly, their noisy mode of operation in Parliament still frightened many.
Anyone with a slight political acumen knew who that intimidation was aimed at.
Once the grain consumption markets of England and France were lost, Austria's total export volume would drop by one sixth.
For the predominantly agrarian Russians, it would be a blessing to keep half of their trade exports.
Under fierce market competition, Russian agriculture, lagging in productivity due to production costs, would lose its market competitiveness.
The Tsarist Government even dared not promote new agricultural techniques, because production capacity doesn't equate to revenue; unsold grain nullifies even the highest yields.
Even industrial upgrading was something the Tsarist Government dared not touch, similar to what Austria had faced during the last agricultural crisis.
