Round table devoted to “Safety of products of plant origin imported to Russia from the EU”

The Round Table was held on 21 January in Berlin within the International Exhibition "Green Week – 2011". The meeting was initiated by the Russian Association of producers and importers of plant and livestock industry "Alyans-Agro" (Director General – D.B. Badich). V. Popovich, Head of the Administration of Phytosanitary Control, Safety and Grain Quality, representatives of associations of Poland, Netherlands, Lithuania – main suppliers of fresh fruits and vegetables from European countries to Russia took part in the meeting. Participants of the meeting discussed issues concerning provision of phytosanitary safety of products imported to Russia, as well as public health safety issues according to the requirements of the Russian law.

During the meeting issues were discussed concerning changes introduced in the phytosanitary control procedure according to the documents adopted by the Customs Union Commission (Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia), as well as modifications of public health standards.

The Rosselkhoznadzor presented documents related to the abovementioned issues and provided detailed answers to the questions asked by the participants of the Round Table. The Rosselkhoznadzor also informed that during the previous 5 years in 1531 of cases products imported from Europe were infested with harmful organisms subject to quarantine in Russia. Totally 20 species of harmful organisms were detected. From September 2010 in 30 cases potato supplied from France, Netherlands, Belgium (4,500 tons) was infested with golden nematode with infested batches accompanied with certification of safety of both country of origin (France, Netherlands) and dispatching country (Belgium). The Rosselkhoznadzor emphasized that the current situation was inadmissible, as the abovementioned cases testified to systematic failures in the efficiency of the European phytosanitary safety system.

As to the public health safety of products the participants were informed that during the last year 432 batches to the total amount of 8,700 tons of products were detected which were contaminated with pesticide, nitrate, nitrite levels exceeding maximum allowable limits established according to the Russian Law. That corresponded to 56% of total amount of contaminated products from different countries of the world. Main supplying countries of harmful products were Poland (200 batches – 3,683 tons – 42.3%), Netherlands (23 batches – 1,582 tons – 18.2%), Belgium (15 batches – 1,034 tons – 12%), Italy (41 batches – 651 tons – 7.5%), Bulgaria (34 batches – 595 tons – 6.8%), Spain (28 batches – 475 tons – 5.5%). If those cases were considered taking into account new standards not adopted at that time, then 72 batches of products to the total amount of 1,137 tons would not comply with safety requirements and new safety standards laid down by the Customs Union Commission. Level of pesticides in 11 batches 1.8 to 45 times exceeded European norms.

Similar issues were also discussed at negotiations between the Rosselkhoznadzor and the European Commission.

At the meeting it was emphasized that the Rosselkhoznadzor did appreciate all initiatives of government authorities, non-governmental organizations, exporter unions and farmer cooperatives aimed at provision of phytosanitary safety and public health safety of products imported to Russia.

Participants of the meeting appreciated approaches of the Rosselkhoznadzor and also expressed their wish to regularly conduct similar meetings for the purpose of joined elaboration of strategy of abovementioned problem solution. At the negotiations it was noted that product control introduced starting from the growing period in the garden, in the field, in the class-house and ending with laboratory tests would enable to supply to the Russian market a wide range of products produced by members of associations conducting the given control activities.

Upon completion of the meeting the participants suggested that the Rosselkhoznadzor should conduct a similar meeting for the extended list of participants in Moscow in the nearest future.

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