MOSCOW, December 4. /TASS/. Russia has allowed imports of buffalo meat from India starting from December 4, the country’s veterinary regulator said on Thursday.

“Russia’s veterinary and phytosanitary service Rosselkhoznadzor together with Kazakhstan’s Agriculture Ministry has included Indian buffalo meat producers to the register of organizations and individuals involved in the production, processing and/or storage of goods transported to the territory of the Customs Union (of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan),” the Russian regulator said.

Rosselkhoznadzor spokeswoman Yulia Trofimova stressed that Indian enterprises were allowed to supply buffalo meat to Russia starting from December 4. It was up to Russian companies now to coordinate deliveries from suppliers, she added.

The Russian veterinary regulator will send its inspector to India to exert permanent control over consignments of buffalo meat destined for the regional Customs Union.

Four Indian companies in total have been certified to supply buffalo meat to Russia, offering prospective additional volumes to replace other nations' imports blocked in response to the West's Ukraine-related sanctions.

Russian authorities said earlier there were also plans to certify other Indian agricultural producers to supply poultry, powdered eggs and dairy products.

Meat and dairy imports from India are believed to be realistic for Russia, which has introduced a set of agricultural sanctions against the West. The ban announced in August bars imports of meat, fish, dairy, fruit and vegetables from the United States, the 28-nation European Union, Canada, Australia and Norway for one year in retaliation for sanctions imposed by those nations on Russia over events in Ukraine.