MOSCOW - A total of 766.87 tonnes of embargoed products were destroyed in Russia in the period between Aug. 6 and Oct. 21, Rosselkhoznadzor told Interfax.
Most of these products (679.25 tonnes) are plant products and 87.62 tonnes are animal products.
Additionally, 7,754 phytosanitary certificates whose authenticity raised doubts were sent to the relevant authorities of the supplier counties for confirmation in the period as part of a phytosanitary control. Forty-two of those certificates were found to be forged. Ninety-three veterinary certificates were also submitted to the veterinary services of the supplier countries for confirmation. Ninety-one of them have been confirmed and two are pending confirmation.
The destruction of embargoed products is taking place in accordance with the Russian presidential decree On Specific Special Economic Measures Taken to Ensure the Security of the Russian Federation (signed on July 29). Under the document, agricultural products manufactured in the countries that have supported the economic sanctions against Russia and are banned from being exported into Russia are subject to seizure and destruction from August 6.
The federal authorities in charge of the implementation of this decision are the Federal Customs Service, Rosselkhoznadzor and Rospotrebnadzor.
The food embargo has been in place in Russia since Aug. 7, 2014 on products from the U.S., the EU, Australia, Norway and Canada. Albania, Montenegro, Iceland, Lichtenstein, which have joined the anti-Russia sanctions, and Ukraine (on special conditions) were added to the list on August 3, 2015.
