The Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision of Russia (Rosselkhoznadzor) has imposed new temporary restrictions on the import of certain agricultural products from Kazakhstan. These products include Kazakhstani wheat, lentils, linseed and melons, as well as tomatoes and peppers from third countries, according to the agency’s ruling.
“Since Kazakhstan is reluctant to meet our request, Rosselkhoznadzor is temporarily restricting imports of various quarantineable products from Kazakhstan,” the agency said in a statement on its website.
These measures will not apply to transit grain certified for the state of its final destination nor to grain transferred directly from rail cars to a ship’s hold. However, the restrictions will also affect sunflower seed imports from third countries.
As Rosselkhoznadzor explained, the ruling aims to strengthen phytosanitary control. The measure entered into effect on Oct. 17 and will remain in place until further notice.
In early October, Rosselkhoznadzor requested that Kazakhstan stop issuing phytosanitary certificates for fresh melons, citing non-compliance with phytosanitary regulations after allegedly discovering a quarantine object — the melon fly.
Prior to the melon case, in mid-August, Russia demanded that Kazakhstan ban the certification of grain, grain products, sunflower seeds, tomatoes and peppers. Since Aug. 23, Rosselkhoznadzor has also stopped certificating products of this kind, prohibiting imports of Kazakhstani-origin in Russia.
