site.btaAgriculture Minister Taneva Visits Russia

October 11 (BTA) - Bulgarian Agriculture Minister
Dessislava Taneva and her Russian counterpart Dmitry Patrushev
discussed restrictions imposed on Bulgarian plant imports to
Russia, her Ministry said Friday. Taneva is paying an official
visit to Russia.

Experts of the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) and the
Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary
Surveillance will meet promptly to set out the technical
details. The aim is for Bulgarian enterprises to be allowed to
export plant products which are not on the list of banned EU
imports.

The ministers discussed the outbreak of African swine fever
which affected both countries.The sides agreed to exchange
information and good practices for tackling the disease and to
arrange a visit by BFSA experts to Russia. Minister Taneva
informed her Russian counterpart that Bulgarian legislation is
amended in order to improve farm biosecurity.

By the end of the year Bulgarian dairy farms will be inspected
by Russian experts it transpired at the meeting. The aim is to
approve a list of farms which will be allowed to exports their
products to Russia after the embargo is lifted.

The agriculture ministers took stock of the good relations
between Bulgaria and Russia and expressed a will to continue the
 constructive dialogue.

In 2018, two-way trade in agricultural products totalled 62.6
million dollars. Bulgarian exports increased by 19.4 per cent
from 2017 to 54.4 million dollars. In 2018, Bulgaria posted a
positive trade balance of 46.3 million dollars or 30.4 per cent
up compared with 2017. Bulgaria's main exports to Russia include
 tobacco, pastries, chocolate, and wine. RY/PP