Import quota of 33,100 tonnes of seeds on number of crops from unfriendly countries enters into force in Russia

MOSCOW. Feb 13 (Interfax) - An import quota of 33,100 tonnes of seeds for a number of crops from unfriendly countries has entered into force in Russia, and the corresponding government resolution was signed on January 27, 2024, and published on January 30, 2024.

The resolution stipulates that the quotas are applicable as of the eleventh working day from the date that the resolution enters into force until December 31, 2024, inclusive. The resolution came into force on the date of official publication.

The restrictions apply to seeds for potatoes, wheat, rye, barley, corn, soybeans, sunflowers, and sugar beets.

Consequently, the resolution limits the import quotas to 16,000 tonnes of potato seeds, 600 tonnes of malting barley seeds, 5,000 tonnes of corn seeds, including 600 tonnes of waxy corn seeds, 2,000 tonnes of rapeseed (hybrids), 7,500 tonnes of sunflower seeds (hybrids), and 2,000 tonnes of sugar beet seeds (hybrids). There is a zero-level quota for wheat, rye, and soybeans.

The government said in a press release that the Agriculture Ministry has calculated the amount based on the requirements of Russian seed growers by accounting for the balance of domestic production and the import and export of seeds.

The government in June 2023 approved a list of agricultural seeds on which it could impose quantitative restrictions on imports, including on seeds for potatoes, wheat, rye, barley, corn, soybeans, rapeseed, sunflower, and sugar beets.

The ministry said that the measure would accelerate the substitution of imports in such a major sector of agriculture as seeds. "Decisions will be based on the harvest, the seed pool, and the assessment of domestic market needs for the seeds of each crop. The amount of imported seeds will be flexibly regulated and the quotas will be progressively limited within the next three years, as domestic production increases," the ministry said.