Vietnam anticipating lift of ban for seafood export to Russia

Russia is expected to reopen its market to Vietnam's seafood exporters after a three month ban and a number of inspections by Russian authorities at local seafood processing facilities, reports www.fishnet-russia.com (www.fishnet.ru) with reference to Vietnamese sources.

However, Rosselkhoznadzor (Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance) has given no comments on the matter as per mid-February 2009.

Russia's vets have introduced temporary restrictions for seafood shipments from all fish processing plants of Vietnam as of 20 December 2008. The restrictions have been triggered by a loss of confidence in the Vietnamese controlling bodies, Nafiqaved in particular, who are claimed to have been issuing certificates to the plants non-approved for export to the Russian Federation.