Moscow - Russia is banning supplies of some vegetables and fruit from Poland from Aug. 1.
A resolution on this is being drafted and it will be signed in the
next few hours, Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary
Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) official representative Alexei
Alexeyenko told Interfax. The reason for the ban is multiple violations
in certifying products supplied and the detection of items subject to
quarantine in Russia, he said.
“We have repeatedly recorded violations in the certification of
products arriving from Poland, we discovered western flower thrips and
oriental fruit moths,” he said.
He said the types of banned products will be indicated in the
resolution. “But this, more than anything, these are the types, about
which we repeatedly held talks with our Polish colleagues,” Alexeyenko
said.
Earlier Rosselkhoznadzor announced its intention to ban imports from Poland of apples, cabbage, and other types of produce.
Poland is a major supplier of fruit and vegetables to Russia.
According to the Eurasian Economic Commission, in 2013, Poland
exported 968,500 tonnes of apples, pears and quinces (16.8 percent more than in
2012) worth $534.1 million (18.3 percent more) to the Customs Union countries.
Russia accounted for 80 percent of those exports. Exports in the first quarter
of 2014 declined 17.3 percent year-on-year to 330,000 tonnes.
Poland also accounts for a significant share of frozen vegetables and
fruit, cabbage and tomato imports to the Customs Union. Poland exported
103,800 tonnes of frozen vegetables and 44,800 tonnes of frozen fruit
to the Customs Union in 2013, 25.4 percent and 2.6 percent more than in 2012
respectively. It also exported 86,900 tonnes of cabbage, 15.5 percent more, and
65,800 tonnes of tomatoes, 36.4 percent more.
