A team of experts of Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) is in Moldova. Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Ion Sula, in an interview for Radio Free Europe, said he will have discussions with the experts in a meeting that will involve representatives of the National Food Safety Agency. The meeting will center on problems related to the export of products of vegetal origin to Russia, IPN reports.
“The agency Rosspotrebnadzor is responsible for cans and wine. We sent by a letter to both of the institutions and had a dialog with the embassy of Russia in Moldova. They reacted to this invitation. I hope those from Rosspotrebnadzor will also react. They told us they want to see how several producers work and how the food safety system works. They also want to visit the National Food Safety Agency,” stated the minister.
According to the official, Moldova can guarantee the safety of the products it exports. Asked if there are chances to resume the negotiations to lift the ban imposed by Russia, the minister said Rosspotrebnadzor hasn’t yet formulated its conclusions after the last visit paid by its experts to Moldova. “I hope we will soon be able to resume this dialog. On June 4-5, we have a meeting of the ministers of agriculture in Milan. I plan to have a short meeting with its representatives there,” stated Ion Sula.
Russia imposed a ban on the import of Moldovan wine in September 2013. Last summer, Russia stopped the import of fruit, cans and meat from Moldova. This spring, it allowed ten Moldovan companies to export apples. Some companies from Gagauzia and Transnistria can export wine and other alcoholic products. Recently, two Moldovan companies were authorized to resume the export of meat to Russia.
