Russia grants rights to five Ecuadorian companies to supply bananas with guarantees from local authorities - Rosselkhoznadzor

MOSCOW. Feb 16 (Interfax) - Russia has given the rights to five Ecuadorian enterprises to ship bananas under guarantees from the competent authorities in Ecuador, the head of Rosselkhoznadzor Sergei Dankvert said on Rossiya-24.

Earlier, Rosselkhoznadzor had appealed to the Ecuadorian authorities with a request to suspend supplies of bananas to five exporters as of February 5 due to the identification in the crop of the polyphagous humpback fly, a quarantine pest considered dangerous in Russia and the countries of the EAEU.

The head of Rosselkhoznadzor said banana shipments would now be under the control of the appropriate Ecuadorian authorities.

"We will continue discussing all the technicalities," he added.

The appeal applied to the following exporters who had committed the largest number of violations: Agzulasa Cia, Don Carlos Fruit S.A., Agroaereo Fruit Export S.A., Asociacion de Produccion Agropecuaria de el oro Asoproagroro, and Comercializadora de Banano.

Meanwhile, Rosselkhoznadzor indicated that the suspension concerned certifications issued by the Ecuadorian control authority.

"If the Ecuadorian side fails to take effective measures and continues to identify this pest in its bananas, Rosselkhoznadzor will be forced to move to the next stage of restrictive measures," the statement said.

The polyphagous humpback fly (Megaselia scalaris Loew) is a universal stock pest with high fertility, including in closed environments, especially transport containers. During long-term storage, it contaminates many food products, especially flour, soybeans, potatoes, bananas, melons, cheese, dried fish, mushrooms, ripe vegetables and fruits. The insect is a carrier of cholera.