Authorities to develop minimum chemical content standards for exotic products in Russia - Rosselkhoznadzor

MOSCOW. April 17 (Interfax) - The Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) has observed growing interest in Russia for breeding exotic animals and cultivating rare agricultural crops, and has proposed establishing residual pesticide and chemical substance standards for such products.

"Currently, there are no minimum permissible standards for these products. We've approached the government, and there are corresponding instructions from [Prime Minister] Mikhail Vladimirovich [Mishustin] precisely about the need to develop and quickly implement these standards," Rosselkhoznadzor head Sergei Dankvert said in an interview with the Rossiya-24 television channel on Thursday.

Relevant agencies are currently working to fulfill this task, he said.

Dankvert explained the need for such regulations in terms of the unconventional nature of these agricultural products for Russia. In particular, ostrich farms have recently begun developing, along with farms raising alpacas both for wool and dietary meat. Asparagus cultivation is also gaining significant popularity, although Russia first began cultivating asparagus back in the 19th century, Dankvert said.

Compliance monitoring must begin at the farm level, as detecting products with excessive chemical content - whether pesticides in vegetables or veterinary drug residues in meat products resulting from animal treatment - becomes nearly impossible at the retail stage, he said.

Implementing these standards is also necessary to control imports of such products, the shipments of which have been increasing, he said.