May 11, 2009
Russia may lift Spanish pork ban region by region
Russia said Friday (May 8) it could ease a ban on Spanish pork products if Madrid provides region-by-region proof that exports are uncontaminated by AH1N1, Russia's food safety agency said.
"A change in the regime is possible only if Rosselkhoznadzor receives exhaustive information from appropriate Spanish authorities on the spread of the virus in various regions," the agency said in a statement.
"This information will allow Rosselkhoznadzor to analyze the risks in each Spanish region and allow for renewed exports of inspected products free of disease."
Although the statement was a sign Russia could relax wide-sweeping embargoes on meat imports introduced to stem the spread of AH1N1 flu, it has not yet lifted restrictions on imports from Spain.
The Spanish government said Thursday the Russian ban had already been lifted for the provinces where no cases of the disease have been recorded.
