Europe presses Russia to lift fruit and veg ban

A representative of the body, Paola Testori, has pledged EC support for Warsaw’s strivings to re-open exports to the Russian Federation.

Moscow has upheld the ban on grounds of potential E.coli infection despite a positive opinion on screening methods employed by Polish sanitary inspectors.

Paola Testori stressed that already last week, the Commission had reached an agreement with the Russia on a complete lifting of the fruit and vegetable embargo for all EU countries.

The comments come as Poland’s Deputy Agriculture Minister, Jaroslaw Wojtowicz left for Moscow on Wednesday to try and negotiate an end to the ban.

Belgium, Holland and Spain have already resumed their deliveries to the Russian market, leaving 23 EU countries without access to Russian markets.

“We are continuing discussion with the Russian authorities together with [representatives of] Polish authorities,” Tesori said, adding that “we consider that maintaining the ban for exports of Polish vegetables to Russia is totally unjustified.”

Polish health minister Ewa Kopacz assured that agriculture minister Marek Sawicki has already received information on sanitary inspections carried out in more than 2,000 plantations across Poland which grow vegetables and fruit.

Meanwhile, speaking to Polish Radio on Thursday morning, Agriculture Minister Marek Sawicki said that the Russian embargo is part of a game played by the country in order to enter the World Trade Organisation.

“Russia will most probably not be praised for such a move,” Sawicki opined. (ss/jb)