Russia Lifts Import Ban on 6 Vegetables

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Russia announced that it lifted import ban imposed on eggplant, pomegranate, pepper, curly lettuce and zucchini today (March 5). According to a statement issued by Inspecting Agricultural Products Agency of Russia (Rosselhoznadzor), the ban will be lifted for the companies which will fulfill the standards stipulated by Russia.

Rosselhoznadzor Spokesperson Yulia Melano told journalists:

“Rosselhoznadzor has taken a decision to lift the ban against importing eggplant, pomegranate, pepper, curly lettuce and zucchini from Turkey. The reason for this is that no agricultural insect pets was found in the transfers carried out by firms which we granted permission.

“From now on, all companies willing to export these products from Turkey to Russia can dispatch. The mandatory condition for this is that the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock issue guarantee for phytosanitary of the products to be dispatched”.

Russia’s bans of two years

In the wake of Turkey shooting down a Russian jet on Turkey’s Syrian border on November 24, 2015, Russia had imposed ban on agricultural products that it used to purchase from Turkey.

Export of eggplant, pomegranate, pepper, curly lettuce and zucchini from Turkey to Russia was prohibited in 2016. The bans that lasted around two years were lifted incrementally by Rosselhoznadzor.

The first products whose ban was lifted on October 12, 2016 were orange, mandarin and other citrus, fresh apricot, peach and plum.

Russia’s ban on sunflower was lifted on May 30, 2017.

Tomato became the biggest issue among the products which Russia imported from Turkey because tomato is Turkey’s top export product among raw vegetable export.

The government of Russia opened its doors again to tomato of Turkey since November 1, 2017. Since that date, Russia incrementally permits the firms, which fulfill the health standards. (HK/TK)