Russia Bans Ukrainian Potatoes
Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) has issued a temporary ban on potatoes from Ukraine.
Rosselkhoznadzor announced on June 5 that it had opted to suspend imports from 16 June following an apparent breach of detection levels for a pest called golden or yellow potato cyst nematode, Eurofruit reports. The authorities have cited repeated instances of golden cyst nematode Globodera rostochiensis as the cause behind the restrictions.
However, one source from Ukraine’s fruit and vegetable industry believes politics may have played a role in the introduction of the ban, given the two nations’ ongoing conflict. “That [the pest] is the official reason, but it could definitely be political. I think Russia could find golden nematode in almost every country it imports from,” produce exporter West Retail co-founder Fedir Rybalko Rybalko told www.freshfruitportal.com. “But that doesn’t mean it’s the same story for Poland, the Netherlands, Egypt, Pakistan and Georgia. I cannot believe they don’t have nematode in their own production.”
Moscow-based RK Marketing director Irina Koziy told the news portal that the restrictions would be implemented after June 16, and until then it would still be possible for Russia to import Ukrainian potatoes after inspection. “From my point of view the current ban will not have significant influence on the market, because at the end of June the season for local potatoes starts and share of imported potatoes in the market will be very small. At the same time, it is very likely that Ukrainian potatoes will return to Russia few months later,” said Koziy.
She added that Russian imports of Ukrainian fresh produce had been declining for some time.
“Even in October-December 2013, shipments of Ukrainian fruit and vegetables in Russia were 2.3 times smaller than in the same period of 2012, while in March and April 2014 this difference with the shipments a year earlier was 3.9 times and 4.5 times accordingly.”
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