Russia may ban Ukrainian soybeans, sunflowers, corn, soybean meal
MOSCOW. July 29 (Interfax) - Russian agricultural watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor may ban deliveries of soybeans, sunflowers and corn from Ukraine due to contamination with seeds of weeds on the quarantine list, the agency said in a statement.
The watchdog said it had already expressed serious concern on several occasions in connection with an array of violations to international and Russian phytosanitary requirements in shipments of the quarantined products from Ukraine to Russia.
More specifically, the Ukrainian product was contaminated with weeds on Russia's quarantine list: mat sandbur, ragweed and bidens.
In the first half of 2014 alone, these quarantined weeds were identified in 23 consignments of the Ukrainian plant-based product. Mat sandbur was discovered in one consignment of corn grits and two batches of sunflower. Ragweed was discovered in six consignments of soybeans and bidens was found in 10 batches of soybean meal.
Last year four sandbur-contaminated consignments of sunflower were identified, as well as 18 loads of soybeans with ragweed.
Rosselkhoznadzor has turned to Ukraine's veterinary service with a proposal to hold immediate talks on the problem. The agency is also not ruling out the possibility of banning the shipment of products contaminated with dangerous weeds from Ukraine to Russia.
