Four ships with about 25,000 tonnes of Moldovan corn got stuck in ports in Turkey owing to inconsistencies in the accompanying documents. Turkey in November modified the market entry conditions for corn, but the National Food Safety Agency didn’t take these changes into account when issuing the accompanying documents, Igor Grigoriev, president of “Agrocereale” Association of Grain Producers and Exporters, stated for IPN.

He noted the responsible Turkish authorities asked to indicate, when issuing the phytosanitary certificate, that the Moldovan corn that is to reach Turkey goes through Ukraine’s Reni. But the National Food Safety Agency didn’t do it.

According to Igor Grigoriev, the four ships are blocked in ports in Turkey. “At the insistence of “Agrocereale” and of the chairman of the Parliament’s commission on agriculture and food industry Vladimir Bolea, steps are being taken to solve the problem. One of the four ships will be allowed to depart today or tomorrow. The situation of the other three ships remains uncertain,” stated the Association’s president.

Contacted by IPN to comment on the situation, Radu Musteața, director general of the National Food Safety Agency, said he was having a meeting and was unable to talk.