Emily Balsamo, Moscow Office, Bord Bia – Irish Food Board

The Russian Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) announced plans to tighten Spanish import of animal products to Russia earlier this month. A Russian ban on Spanish chilled meats went into effect on March 29, while the import of all animal products was tightened on April 18. Prior to this, some 130 Spanish companies were allowed to export to Russia. This number now stands at 25. Among these, only one dairy establishment remained, a company which has never exported to Russia.

The chief Russian veterinary inspector, Yevgeny Nepoklonov, explained the ban and subsequent tightening, claiming that Spain had not adequately recognised the health requirements of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus, the three countries of the Customs Union (CU). This is something that is contested by Spanish Agricultural representatives. Rosselkhoznadzor has stated that the import restrictions are temporary and will be lifted once all exports companies comply with CU requirements.

Such restrictions come in the wake of several previous restrictions on meat importation to Russia since Russia’s accession to the WTO in mid 2012, including a ban on North American due to alleged ractopamine use. The Russian market experienced a sharp rise in imports following their accession as tariffs fell. Alexei Alekseenko, a Rosselkhoznadzor representative, recently stated that the agency is considering a ban on meat from Mexico due to suspected ractopamine use.