MOSCOW, December 27. /TASS/. Exports of Russian fruits and vegetables in 2023 increased by 55% year-on-year, imports of vegetables and fruits decreased by 2%, the Russian agricultural regulator (Rosselkhoznadzor) reported.

"Due to the increase in the volume of domestic production, there was a decrease in the volume of imports of vegetables and fruits in 2023 by 2%, while the supply of Russian fruits and vegetables to foreign markets increased by 55%," the report says.

In particular, exports of food potatoes increased by 79% year-on-year to 326,000 tons, exports of onions and garlic soared by 112% to 87,000 tons, exports of root crops grew by 53% to 15,000 tons.

Since the beginning of this year, the agricultural watchdog monitored deliveries to Russia of more than 8.6 million tons of regulated products (except for grain and derivatives products) and over 2.4 billion pieces of planting and floral material. Based on the results of supervisory procedures, 52 types of quarantine objects for Russia were identified in 5,246 cases.

"All contaminated cargo is not allowed to be delivered into the country," the watchdog notes.

As the regulator also reported, as of December 15, 2023, its territorial departments inspected 82,900 shipments with a total weight of 968,600 tons of regulated products. This included 61,900 shipments from the republic of Belarus with a total weight of 570,600 tons and from the republic of Kazakhstan 21,040 shipments with a total weight of 398,100 tons.

As a result, violations were detected in 911 consignments with a total weight of 14,800 tons of regulated products (from the republic of Belarus - 174 consignments with a total weight of 1,600 tons, from the republic of Kazakhstan - 737 consignments with a total weight of 13,200 tons), in including 1,560 tons of "sanctioned" products, of which 89% are from the republic of Belarus.