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Russia's veterinary watchdog urges Belarus to hold consultations on potatoes supplies

European potatoes supplies to Russia via Belarus have been restricted due to dangerous planting diseases

MOSCOW, January 29. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) invites Belarusian agencies to hold urgent consultations on potatoes supplies to Russia, the service’s head, Sergei Dankvert, told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.

“We have information that supplying companies are proposing Russian partners to supply potatoes from EU countries via Belarus,” Dankvert said.

This proves why European potatoes producers do not want the Russian service to check their products, he said.

Belarus did not join the Customs Union agreements that made it possible to control the origin of potatoes, which were supplied to partners’ markets. This gives an opportunity to sell European potatoes as Belarusian, Rosselkhoznadzor reports.

“We’re preparing a letter to impose restrictions on planting and commercial potatoes import from Belarus and we ask Minsk to hold urgent consultations,” Dankvert said.

At present, European potatoes supplies to Russia have been restricted due to dangerous planting diseases. Earlier, Rosselkhoznadzor said planting products could be imported to Russia if the service checks every batch.