Russia bans imports of Egyptian fruit and veg

Due to continuous deliveries of food considered unsafe from a phytosanitary point of view, the Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, the Rosselkhoznadzor, has imposed a provisional embargo on Egyptian horticultural products as of September 22, according to a press release issued by it.

The embargo will end after Egyptian authorities have taken efficient measures to ensure the phytosanitary safety of the goods it supplies to Russia, it says.

Representatives of the Rosselkhoznadzor and their Egyptian counterparts have agreed that Egyptian experts will visit Russia to discuss the concerns about violations involving Egyptian exports.

According to the Rosselkhoznadzor, there have already been 47 occasions this year on which customs officers have prevented deliveries of horticultural products posing a quarantine risk.

Taking into consideration the fact that Egyptian exports to Russia have significantly grown – totalling 500,000 tons in the first half of this year – phytosanitary policy and the ensurance of food safety are vital, it said.