Russia Issues Warning to Pakistan Over Rice Imports

(CTN News) – Russia has threatened to restrict rice imports from Pakistan again if their phytosanitary concerns are not addressed in future consignments.

The Russian Federation’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (FSVPS) has issued a notification on violations of international and Russian phytosanitary criteria involving a shipment of rice imported from Pakistan.

The notification, numbered FS-SA-3/6592 and dated April 2, 2024, indicates the presence of a quarantine organism, “Megaselia scalaris (Loew),” in the rice consignment.

The FSVPS has requested that the plenipotentiary and trade representative at the Pakistani embassy in Russia immediately investigate the incident.

Pakistani Response and Actions

A copy of the notice issued by the Russian authorities shows that the FSVPS has asked the relevant official in the Pakistani embassy to prevent such violations in the future and emphasized the importance of adhering to phytosanitary standards to ensure the safety of agricultural products traded across borders.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani embassy in Moscow’s commercial wing transmitted an English version of the Russian authority’s letter to the Ministry of Food Security’s Department of Plant Protection (DPP) and other relevant government departments.

The embassy’s letter to the DPP reads: “In view of the above, it is requested that an investigation be conducted immediately, and the results of the investigation may please be shared with FSVPS in order to avoid any possible ban on rice exports in the future.”

Meanwhile, the FSVPS has issued an official correspondence to the director of DPP, requesting increased collaboration in the field of plant quarantine.

Russia previously imposed a ban on identical grounds in 2019, which lasted almost two years. It was lifted after several rounds of negotiations between officials from both sides. Previously, in December 2006, Russia prohibited rice import from Pakistan because it did not meet food safety criteria.