site.btaExports of Bulgarian Farm Produce to Russia Set to Resume after Lifting of Embargo

Exports of Bulgarian Farm Produce to Russia Set to Resume after Lifting of Embargo

Moscow/Sofia, October 6 (BTA) - Bulgarian Agriculture and Food Minister Dessislava Taneva and Russian Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev discussed the opportunity whereby Bulgarian companies interested in exporting farm produce to Russia to undergo preliminary approval, Taneva's Ministry said in a press release Thursday. Taneva said that in this way, there will be no hindrance for them to resume exports after the lifting of the embargo against Russia.

Taneva is paying an official visit to Russia to attend the International Agricultural Exhibition Golden Autumn held in Moscow.

Taneva said 27 companies so far have expressed interest to export produce to Russia. The Minister argued that the approval procedure should be completed while the embargo is still effective. Tkachev for his part assured Taneva that the approval procedure could start in 2017. Also in 2017 Russian inspectors are expected to visit the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency and the enterprises planning to export to Russia.

The two ministers also discussed the Russian ban on import of plant products with phyto-sanitary certificates issued by the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency, which at the moment mostly affects herbs. Taneva and Tkachev agreed that a team of the Agency visit the Russian Agriculture Ministry where the experts will be trained to work with the software with which Russia controls the plant products entering the country.

At the Golden Autumn Exhibition Bulgaria is represented with two stands and 29 producers of wines, juices, pastries, dairy and meat products, and traditional Bulgarian articles.