The National Food Safety Agency obliges the companies that export plums to Russia to subject to laboratory tests each consignment of plums that is to be exported. The Agency informed the plums are no longer exported based on the certificate issued by it.

The Agency’s director Gheorghe Gaberi has told IPN that Monilinia fructicola that is classified as a quarantine pathogen in Russia was recently detected in a consignment of nectarines exported to Russia by a company from Stefan Vodă. Thus, the company was banned from exporting nectarines to Russia at the request of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance.

The Moldovan side was obliged to increase phytosanitary controls on stone fruit. An order was thus issued to make the exporters have lab tests. “We do not want to face a ban on the export of this fruit, if we do not take the required measures,” stated Gheorghe Gaberi.

He also said the company from Ștefan Vodă exported nectarines based on the certificate issued by the National Food Safety Agency, but it is impossible for the Agency’s inspectors to detect the presence of a microscopic disease. This can be done only in laboratory conditions.

“We made the order and obliged each exporter of products that can be affected by this disease to subject them to laboratory tests. The result of the test performed by an accredited lab will be mandatorily attached to the phytosanitary certificate,” said Gheorghe Gaberi.

Given that the test lasts for up to 14 days, the National Food Safety Agency requests the stone fruit growers and exporters to invite inspectors of the Agency’s local subdivisions to take samples of fruit and send them to the laboratory. The Agency also warns about the cases of detection of the oriental fruit moth (Grapholita molesta Busck), which also represents a phytosanitary risk for Russia. If the phytosanitary requirements on the export of vegetal products are not met, the Russian side can impose bans on the export.