Russian Food Ban

Russia Bans Re-export of Fruit and Veg from Guinea, Afghanistan and San Marino

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Starting from 28 November, Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) has introduced a ban on the supply to Russia of vegetables and fruit from Guinea, Afghanistan and San Marino, through third countries, because of the increased volume of re-exports via Belarus, said the agency.

“From 28 November 2016, the Rosselkhoznadzor will only allow direct shipments to Russia of regulated products of high phytosanitary risk originating from the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Republic of San Marino,” said the statement. Products from these countries will be allowed through the checkpoints on the Russian section of the border of the Eurasian Economic Union only when accompanied by the right phytosanitary certificates.

www.freshplaza.com

Turkey Expects Russia to Lift Ban on Five More Fruit and Veg

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Ankara expects Moscow to soon lift the ban on the import of five types of Turkish plant products – pomegranates, aubergines, peppers, courgettes and lettuce, as stated by the Minister of Agriculture on Monday.

Faruk Çelik, the Turkish Minister of Agriculture, said that another 11 kinds of Turkish plant products would remain banned. “With regard to them, the Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, Alexander Tkachev, said that a decision would be made during the visit of Prime Minister Binali Yildirim to Russia (5-6 December),” stated the Minister.

The improvement in Turkish-Russian relations have already ensured an increase in the export of Turkish fruit and vegetables. Compared to the same period a year previously, the Turkish export of tangerines has increased by 41 per cent. With that, export amounted to 90,211 tonnes. The export of oranges increased by 27 per cent to 26,000 tonnes. Last year, between 19 October and 16 November, Turkey exported 63,794 tonnes of tangerines and 20,713 tonnes of oranges, amounting to a total value of 43 million dollar. During the same period this year, Turkey earned over 44 million dollar through the export of tangerines alone.

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Russia lifted the ban for fry of flatfish and shrimp

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The Russian government lifted the restriction on the importation into Russia of fry of flatfish (Psetta maxima), white salmon (Dicentrarchus labrax) and whitefoot shrimp.

Earlier, the Russian government lifted the embargo for fry of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and fry of mussels. The embargo continues to affect the rest of live fish, crustaceans and molluscs.

The Russian authorities set the embargo on food imports from the US, EU member states, Australia, Norway, Albania, Montenegro, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Ukraine in 2014. Meat and meat products, fish and seafood, fruit and vegetables and dairy products are banned for import to Russia. The embargo was introduced as a response to the sanctions against Russia after the annexation of the Crimea and the military conflict in Ukraine.

www.snob.ru, www.publication.pravo.gov.ru

Russia remained biggest apple importer in 2015

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Last year, 2015, more than 160 countries together imported 6.6 billion MT of fresh apples, up 7% on the previous year. Despite its ban on produce from Western countries, Russia remained the largest importer with 880,000 MT, followed by transit country Belarus, importing 730,000 MT.

Imports in the EU declined further by 11% to a low of 435,000 MT. The US became a small importer of 153,000 MT, down 26%. Mexico is the fourth largest importer with 306,000 MT, up 30%, followed by Egypt, which became a stable importer of 250,000 MT over the last year.

Vietnam, Myanmar and Pakistan are the new export destinations, registering more import volumes, but entering the Indian market is more challenging as competition from local produce is strong. China, Hong Kong and South Korea like imported high quality apples more and more.

World apple production in the 2015/16 season rose slightly last season to 76.9 million MT, with higher production in China largely offset by slightly lower production in the US and the EU. Global trade was lower due to a downturn in demand from Mexico, Libya, Brazil and Russia.

China’s production continued to rise, up 2.1 million MT to 43.0 million on higher yield acreage and favourable weather. Exports surged from 400,000 MT to 1.2 million on higher exports to Asian markets, particularly Bangladesh and Thailand, as improved production practices continue to boost competitiveness. However, the US production was down by over 500,000 MT to 4.6 million due to adverse weather in all growing areas. Exports are forecast to plummet to their lowest level in 6 years, dropping 256,000 MT to 780,000 with smaller shipments to Mexico, India, and other distant destinations.

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Russia’s 2017-2019 budget drafted based on assumptions that the sanctions will remain till 2019

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Russia’s 2017-2019 budget is being drafted based on a cautious outlook and the assumption that US and EU sanctions will remain intact, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said at the government commission on budget projections Friday.

“As has been repeatedly discussed, we cautiously assess the economic situation in the world markets from a conservative viewpoint. In particular, over the fairly low trajectory of oil prices in the range of $40 per barrel of the Urals brand over the next three years, and the possible retention of sanctions until the end of the forecast period,” Medvedev said.

The Russian Federal Treasury, meanwhile, said earlier in the day that January-September 2016 budget deficit totaled 1.58 trillion rubles ($25.3 billion), double the deficit recorded in the same period last year.

The draft has to be completed on October 28.

www.sputniknews.com

Russia lifts boycott on Egypt

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The boycott of Egyptian fruit and vegetables, with the exception of potatoes, will be lifted since October 1, according to the Russian press agency Tass.

“The parties reached an agreement on the export of Egyptian fruit and vegetables,” said the Russian phytosanitary service. The Egyptian companies now meet the phytosanitary requirements that have been set by Russia. A Russian delegation will visit the country in order to evaluate the situation in October and November. During this final visit, the potato export will be evaluated. Exports have been boycotted by Russia since September 22.

www.freshplaza.com

Belarus sold Russia five times more apples than it officially harvested

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Russian customs officials have noted a particularly “miraculous” apple yield in Belarus, a country that managed to sell Russia five times more apples than it officially harvested.

Russian law enforcement agencies have blamed the discrepancy in 2015’s figures on forged documents used to smuggle sanctioned, European produce over the Russian-Belarusian border, the RIA Novosti agency reported.

“Goods that have been sanctioned by Russia often come to the border with fake documents declaring them as Belarusian goods,” said Russian Deputy Prosecutor General Vladimir Malinovsky.

“Some 573,000 tons of Belarusian apples and mushrooms were imported to Russia in 2015 — five times more than what was actually harvested there,” he said.

The Belarusian government announced last week that it had arrested a smuggling ring involved in bringing sanctioned goods over the Russian border.

www.themoscowtimes.com

Russian companies are interested in fresh fruit and vegetables from Turkey

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The West Mediterranean Exporters Association (BAIB) reported that they had received their first order of fresh fruit and vegetables from Russia after attending the WorldFood Moscow Exhibition, organised between the 12th and 15th September.

In August, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan re-established normal relations between the two countries, putting an end to a year of hostility, although the ban on import of some fruits and vegetables to Russian from Turkey has not been lifted yet.

BAIB president, Mustafa Satıcı, stated that they had attended the WorldFood Exhibition to raise awareness of Turkish produce as the fresh fruit and vegetable sector recovers and sanctions on Turkish exports are lifted.

Satıcı added that Russian companies had shown an interest in a wide range of fruit and vegetables including tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, pomegranates, oranges and lettuce.

www.freshplaza.com

EU acts to limit scope of Russian ban

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The European Commission is to take action to stop Russia from blocking overland shipments of Spanish fruit bound for China.

The announcement comes in response to complaints raised by Murcian MEP Ramón Luis Valcárcel that Russia’s actions go well beyond its embargo on imports of agricultural products from the European Union.

The Commission said it would employ every means at its disposal to force Russia to comply with WTO rules on the free movement of goods, including taking legal action if necessary.

The Commission has asked the Russian authorities for clarification on the terms of the veto on several occasions since it came into effect in August 2014, but their response has been “very ambiguous”.

Moscow claims its interpretation of the scope of the embargo is based on various pieces of national legislation, including the Customs Code of the Eurasian Economic Union.

Russia’s obstructions have led the Commission to explore alternative routes to the Chinese market. It is currently in discussions with the Ukrainian government, which is developing a transport itinerary with other countries in the Southern Caucasus and Central Asian region.

www.fruitnet.com

Import temporary suspension of Egyptian fruit and vegetables to Russia starts on September 22

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Russia announced a temporary suspension of imports of fruit and vegetables from Egypt beginning on September 22.

Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) did not disclose a full list of products that would be banned, but is is said that the list included citrus, tomato and potato. The official reason for the ban is “systematic breach of international and phytosanitary requirements” in “massive supplies” of Egyptian fruit and vegetables shipped to Russia.

Russia is one of Egypt’s top export markets for fruit. It sold some $350 million in agricultural commodities last year to Russia, including 400,000 MT of oranges, or 30% of its total orange exports, the trade ministry statement said.

Russia’s decision to suspend imports of fruit and vegetables from Egypt is not a counter-measure against Cairo’s rejection of Russia’s wheat, Interfax news agency quoted Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich as saying on Tuesday. Before that Egypt rejected 60,000 MT wheat shipment from Russia due to issues with ergot fungus.

The ban will have no impact on Russia’s inflation, Dvorkovich said, according to TASS and RIA news agencies.

www.reuters.com, www.reuters.com, www.fruitnet.com