Russia committed to policy of seafood imports from approved plants

It appears that the Russian Ministry of Agriculture is irreversibly committed to implementation of its policy of food imports from approved producers only in the foreseeable future with the geography of inspections of foreign plants continuously extended.

In particular, by the start of February 2007 the Russian Rosselkhoznadzor Veterinary And Phytosanitary Service has completed inspections of 11 Icelandic onshore establishments and four catchers-processors. The Russian inspection team has also studied the Icelandic system of seafood quality control and as per 6 February 2007 the Russian Ministry of Agriculture said the results of the inspection would be made public shortly.

Belarus

Under the preliminary schedule as of 1 March 2007 import of dairy, meat and seafood products from Belarus to Russia will be allowed only from companies approved by Russian inspectors, according to Sergey Dankvert, head of Rosselkhoznadzor Veterinary And Phytosanitary Service.

The plans were made public last month when representatives of Rosselkhoznadzor met with their colleagues from Belarus in order to agree the dates of inspection of Belorussian companies.

Vietnam

Meanwhile, Vietnamese authorities asked Russian veterinary bodies to postpone inspection of fish processing companies from the scheduled month of February to March 2007 due to the current hectic business and the forthcoming holiday season (Lunar New Year).

Lunar New Year is the most important holiday in Vietnam which is celebrated in the second half of February.

Previously Russian Veterinary And Phytosanitary Service Rosselkhoznadzor announced its intent to send a group of inspectors to check Vietnamese companies and farms willing to export their seafood products to Russia. The list of fish companies to be checked includes 198 entities out of 315 seafood operators in Vietnam, though the final list is yet to be approved by the Russian veterinary bodies after the inspection.