Russian Phytosanitary Service lifts ban on fruits export for more Moldovan companies

Chisinau, 6 August /MOLDPRES/ - The Russian Veterinary and Phyto-sanitary Service, Rosselkhoznadzor, has announced on its official webpage that temporary bans on fruits supplies to the Russian market would be cancelled for another 17 Moldovan companies starting from 7 August, according to a press release issued by Rosselkhoznadzor.

Russia ruled to continue the experiment on import of apricots, peaches, sour cherries, cherries, apples, pears, quinces, nectarines, plums and sloes. The number of companies which got the right to supply fruits to Russia is limited, only Gagauz enterprises were included in the list.

The supplies were unblocked after the competent authorities had found that products delivered by Moldova complied with the quarantine and phytosanitary standards of Russia and the National Agency for Food Safety (ANSA) assumed the commitment to guarantee the observance of these standards.

On 12 June 2015, one year after the embargo was introduced, Moldova resumed fruits exports to Russia, under ANSA guarantee and following the positive notice of Rosselkhoznadzor experts, who inspected more Moldovan producers and the Moldovan products certification system in late last May. Rosselkhoznadzor allowed export of fresh apples, pears, quinces, apricots, sour cherries, cherries, peaches, nectarines, plums and sloe for 8 companies. Bans were lifted for the eastern Grigoriopol, Dubasari, Camenca, Ribnita and Slobozia districts too.

At that time, Rosselkhoznadzor informed that it had provided the export right „as an experiment and is relies inclusively on stating the lack of elements subject to phyto-sanitary quarantine in the Moldovan products in export of apples.”

Rosselkhoznadzor forbade the import of Moldovan fruits on 21 June 2014. The mentioned service reasoned its decision by the fact that Moldovan producers had violated the phyto-sanitary requirements. The Moldovan authorities qualified this decision as a political one.

Earlier, about 93 per cent of exports in apples, estimated to 43.7 million dollars and 80 per cent of plums exports, estimated to 21.1 million dollars, were directed to Russia.

(Reporter V. Bercu, Editor M. Jantovan)