June 23, 2011

Russia limits meat, dairy imports from Germany 

Rosselkhoznadzor (Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Plant Control) which previously declared its intentions to begin limitations on shipments of animal produce from almost 300 German plants has started the process of introducing the restrictions.

Sources in the controlling body told the media that beginning from June 27, the ban on produce shipments from 10 dairy and three meat processing plants comes into effect. Moreover, existing restrictions on dairy and meat shipments from one plant have been extended.

This decision was the result of a scheduled inspection of German plants, which was conducted in connection with the spread of intestinal infection in EU countries.

The head of Rosselkhoznadzor, Sergey Dankvert, said that the negative results of the inspection have also been confirmed by monitoring inspections of produce shipped from Germany, in which various species of intestinal bacteria were found. "We have pointed this out on multiple occasions, but were always told by the European Commission that it was not dangerous and that Russian regulations were superfluous," he said. "Now, I hope, they have realised how dangerous it is."

Dankvert said that, based on the results of monitoring imported produce, the Russian controlling body has created an extensive database, which includes information about the intestinal bacteria found. This database covers all countries supplying meat and dairy products to the Russian Federation. "Remarkably, many countries were easily included in the suppliers list in the 1990s and continue to behave like they did back then, although food safety guarantees provided by their veterinary services should be much more secure," the source said.

The source added that over the past 10 years German shipments of pork have increased five-fold, shipments of offal have grown by 3.4 times, shipments of lard have grown by four times, and shipments of poultry have grown by 2.5 times.