After the food safety surveillance body Rosselkhoznadzor gave the go-ahead for the import of Moldovan apples, the Association of Horticulturists of Russia requested Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to limit the import of apples from Moldova. This way, as Kommersant wrote, the Russian producers try to solve the own problems and do not want competition when there is a bumper crop, IPN reports.
The authors of the approach remind that the problem of limitation or total banning of the import of foreign fruit during mass harvesting and selling of the crop inside the country was discussed at “government level”, but “remains unsolved” for now.
According to the letter, as the quoted source noted, a record apple harvest was gathered in Russia this year and this can be sold by next summer. Moreover, as farmers said, the Russian producers are disadvantaged by the “unfair competition” with foreigners. “The cost price continues to rise and during the past three years has grown by 50%, while the selling price remains at the same level,” runs the letter.
The decision to lift the ban on Moldovan apples, which was imposed on August 15, 2022, was taken by Rosselkhoznadzor on December 1, 2022 and covered 20 Moldovan companies. Another 12 companies of Moldova were allowed to export to Russia on December 2. On the website of Rosselkhoznadzor, it is said that the decision was taken as a result of an analysis, including of the rising production costs. The Russian producers are dissatisfied with the import of “cheap goods”, but actually always suspected that Polish apples are being re-exported through Moldova.
IPN noted that in time, both the responsible institutions and the community of experts in Moldova presented concrete evidence showing that the commercial bans imposed on agricultural imports into Russia are dominated by political factors.
