Russia has enhanced control with meat and dairy products from Norway, following a ban on imports of fish from January 1.
The Russian Federal Service for Agricultural Control (Rosselkhoznadzor) does not trust its Norwegian counterpart Mattilsynet to be able to guarantee the safety of food coming from Norway. From January 1 the organization imposed import restrictions on a long list of fish, claiming that Norway’s system for quality control is too lax, which has allowed for low-quality fish to enter the Russian market.
“Because it’s the same organization that gives guarantees not only on fish but also on other regulated products, including milk products and meat, we are forced to enhance control on these sorts of products as well”, said Aleksey Alekseenko, Assistant Manager of Rosselkhoznadzor.
“Subsequently, a failure to produce sufficient state guarantees on the safety of products from Norway can lead to a ban on imports of milk and meat to Russia”, he added.
At the Borisoglebsk border-crossing station between Russian and Norway a sign warning travelers about ban on import of meat and dairy products was put up already in the beginning of December.