Russia bans some Chinese fruit imports
Russia has said it will ban stonefruit and deciduous fruit imports from China from August 10, citing phytosanitary concerns.
A representative of the country’s veterinary and phytosanitary watchdog Rosselkhodnadzor announced the move on Wednesday.
The ban will affect plums, nectarines, apricots, peaches, plums, cherries, apples, and pears.
“The federal veterinary and phytosanitary service is forced to suspend the supplies of pome and stone fruits from China to Russia starting August 10, 2019,” the regulator explained.
"We took the decision due to continuing cases of China-originating products contaminated with dangerous quarantine for Russia objects supplied to the country."
The watchdog plans to hold consultations with the Chinese side. And it will also inspect the places of production, storage and packing of those products.
Citrus led China's fruit exports to Russia in 2018, with the category totaling US$171 million, followed by pome fruit with US$157 million. The next biggest categories were stonefruit, table grapes and strawberries.
In May, Rosselkhoznadzor lifted an import ban on stone fruit from North Macedonia and Serbia, imposed in August 2018. Authorities banned some fruit after finding the Monilinia fructicola fungus in some fruit.
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