Russia halted temporarily the import of fruit from Moldova, director general of the National Food Safety Agency Ion Sula has told IPN. The official had a telephone conversation with the administration of Russia’s phytosanitary service Rosselhoznadzor. The service’s deputy head Aleksei Saurin told him that Russia suspended the imports because the conditions of supplying products to the Russian market are not respected.

“They invoked that the Oriental moth has been found in four consignments of fruit since the start of the season,” stated Ion Sula.

According to him, the restrictions will greatly affect the fruit producers as 90% of the apples from Moldova are exported to Russia. The ban also applies to apricots, peaches, nectarines, pears, quinces and sour cherries. The passengers coming from Moldova will be banned from carrying fruit in the baggage, including the hand one.

The ban will be lifted when Russian experts assess the phytosanitary state in Moldova. In 2006, a similar assessment lasted for six months.

Prime Minister Iurie Leanca ordered the competent authorities to immediately make a detailed analysis of the legal framework concerning the commercial relations with Russia. These actions will be also discussed with producers and exported of agrifood products from Moldova at the beginning of next week.

The head of the parliamentary commission on economy, budget and finance Veaceslav Ionita said that from economic viewpoint, Russia’s ban does not affect Moldova much now. The export-related losses will be about 2%. The lawmaker considers more intense communication with the Russian partners is needed.

At the start of July, 17 tonnes of apricots from Moldova were sent back by inspectors of Rosselhoznadzor after discovering the Oriental fruit moth in them. The Russian authority said that during the fruit harvest period last year, 13 consignments of fruit from Moldova were infected with the Oriental moth and the fact that these cases repeat show that the orchards in Moldova face phytosanitary problems.