Russian watchdog asks Kazakhstan to ban imports of Roshen confectionary products
ALMATY. Aug 8 (Interfax) - The Kazakh Health Ministry has received an official request from the Russian consumer rights watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, asking it to ban imports of products produced by Ukraine's Roshen confectionary company.
"A letter from Rospotrebnadzor, saying that they have banned imports of Roshen products to Russia and asking that similar measures be taken in Kazakhstan, has been received," the Kazakh Health Ministry's Committee for State Sanitary-Epidemiological Surveillance Chief Expert Maral Rakhimzhanova told Interfax.
The letter, dated July 29, arrived at the ministry on August 7, Rakhimzhanova said.
"For now, we will conduct our tests and will refrain from any comments regarding the ban. We will carry out our tests and then will study the additional documents we will request from Russians," Rakhimzhanova said.
In accordance with Article 7 of the Customs Union's agreement on sanitary measures, the Customs Union member-states have taken on the obligation to exchange information when products not complying with the sanitary-epidemiological and hygienic demands of one state and those of the Customs Union are found.
It was reported that Kazakhstan was inspecting candies produced by the Ukrainian confectionary company.
Meanwhile, Rospotrebnadzor has banned imports of Roshen products due to quality concerns.
Benzopyrene, which has carcinogenic and bioaccumulation properties, has been found in milk chocolate.
Roshen denied these accusations.
Following tests of seven Roshen product names in Kazakhstan, traces of benzopyrene have not been found.
Roshen operates confectionery factories in Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Mariupol and Kremenchuk, the Bershadmoloko dairy producer, and also confectionery facilities in Klaipeda, Lithuania and Lipetsk, Russia.
The company produces as many as 200 types of products. Its total annual production volume is up to 410,000 tonnes. Roshen exports its products to Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Moldova, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the United States, Canada, Germany and Israel.
