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Russia suspends import of candies made by Ukrainian company

Rospotrebnadzor made the decision in the wake of exposure of certain encroachment on the legislative requirements regarding sanitary and epidemiological protection
Photo ITAR-TASS/Artyom Korotaev
Photo ITAR-TASS/Artyom Korotaev

MOSCOW, July 30 (Itar-Tass) - Russia’s consumer rights and sanitation watchdog agency Rospotrebnadzor has notified the Federal Customs Service of a suspension of imports of candies produced by factories of the Ukrainian company Roshen.

Rospotrebnadzor said in a report Wednesday that the decision on suspending the imports was taken in the wake of exposure of certain encroachment on the legislative requirements regarding sanitary and epidemiological protection /organoleptical indicators, toxic additives/ and the legislation protecting consumer rights /inconsistency of the information on the nutritional value of products placed on the labels/.

The agency said, in part, that Roshen’s milk chocolate contained benzo/a/pyerene - a substance having carcinogenic and bio-accumulative properties.

“This testifies to the laxity of control over the raw ingredients used in the production of confectioneries,” Rospotrebnadzor said.

“The facts that have been exposed attest to systemic encroachments of Roshen’s factories on the requirements for quality and safety of products,” it said.

Rosptrebnadzor provided a list of four factories, the products of which fall under the provisional ban on imports. They are located in Kiev, Vinnitsa, Mariupol, and Kremenchug.

Ukraine is the largest supplier of confectioneries to Russia. According to the data quoted the Ukrainian Ministry of Revenues and Taxes, the companies based in that country exported almost 119,100 tons of chocolates to Russia in 2012 and got the combined revenue of almost $ 413 million.

Alexander Baldynyuk, the president of the Ukrainian association of confectionery makers said Russia is one of the major markets for the Ukrainian producers of sweet goods and that is why Rospotrebnadzor’s move or the introduction of higher import fees may have a telling impact on the operations of the sector.

Roshen Corporation occupies the 18th position from the top on the list on the Candy Industry Top 100 list.