Russian watchdog bans imports from Belarusian meat plant due to African swine fever
MOSCOW. Oct 3 (Interfax) - Russian agricultural watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor has imposed temporary restrictions on shipments to Russia from Belarus' Orshansky Meat-Packing Plant after the genetic material of African swine fever was discovered in the plant's products.
"In the cooked sausage made at Orshansky Meat-Packing Plant, the genetic material of the ASF virus was discovered. Samples of sausages were selected at the distribution center in Bryansk," the watchdog said in a statement.
Rosselkhoznadzor has tasked its regional departments with checking previously imported products from this company and with taking measures to prevent a carrier of the virus from entering into Russia from Belarusian plants.
The agricultural watchdog also decided to increase checks on pork and pork products that enter Russia from Belarus. "If the genetic material of the ASF virus is identified in new consignments, protective measures could be increased," the statement says.