Belarus blocked milk

Russia bans its import from the republic.
Since February 26, Russia introduces temporary restrictions on the import of part of Belarusian dairy products to Russia. According to the Rosselkhoznadzor, the decision is related to the continued receipt of unsafe products from the country. Market participants call this step "unprecedented" and warn that it will negatively affect Russian producers. Representatives of the Rosselkhoznadzor and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Belarus will meet on February 26, where they will discuss the issues of milk supplies.

Since February 26, 2018, the Rosselkhoznadzor introduces temporary restrictions on the import of some Belarusian dairy products to Russia. The decision was made in connection with the continued receipt of unsafe products, the service said on Thursday. Under the ban fall pasteurized, dry, canned and condensed milk and cream, as well as whey concentrate, milk protein, and whey.

Restrictions are introduced at least until appropriate negotiations with the veterinary service of Belarus and the regulation of the situation with ensuring the safety of products, the Russian department said.

The fact that the supply of dairy products from a number of regions of Belarus may be limited, Rosselkhoznadzor reported yesterday. According to him, in 2016, more than 53% of cases of violations of veterinary and sanitary standards by Belarusian producers, had to dairy products. At the same time in 2.6% of cases, the remains of banned and harmful substances were detected in it. In 2017, the milk category accounted for 63% of all violations, and the share of products with the remains of banned and harmful substances reached 55.6%. From the beginning of 2018 and until February 20, the Rosselkhoznadzor found 32 cases of violations of veterinary and sanitary standards in milk and dairy products from Belarus, of which 65.6% are already associated with residues of prohibited and harmful substances.

The interlocutor of "Kommersant" in a major producer of products called the Rosselkhoznadzor decision "unprecedented". According to him, the majority of Russian confectioners and producers of dairy products depend on Belarusian dry milk, since it is impossible to find the right raw materials of the proper quality in Russia.
If these market participants have not formed sufficient stocks of milk powder, the supply of foodstuffs can not be excluded, Kommersant's interlocutor warns.

In Belarus, "surprised by the decision Rosselkhoznadzor." "Just read it. Now we find out what prompted the Russian side to him, "First Deputy Agriculture and Food Minister of Belarus Leonid Marynich told RIA Novosti.

The meeting of the Rosselkhoznadzor and representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Belarus on milk supply issues is scheduled for February 26. This was reported to Interfax by the deputy head of the Rosselkhoznadzor Nikolai Vlasov. Details of the upcoming meeting will be announced later.

Belarus is the largest importer of dairy products in Russia. It accounts for about 90% of all deliveries. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko called the claims of Rosselkhoznadzor groundless. A year ago, he said that the actions of the service are related to the fact that Russian products are inferior in quality to Belarusian ones. "They can not compete with us," Lukashenka noted. At the same time, he announced that he had instructed the republican Ministry of Internal Affairs to institute criminal proceedings against the head of the Rosselkhoznadzor, Sergei Dankvert, for "inflicting damage" on Belarus. In the summer of 2017, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus said that the investigation was continuing. After this news about the progress of the investigation was not. The issue of deliveries of Belarusian products to the Russian Federation was also discussed more than once at the meetings of Alexander Lukashenko with Vladimir Putin.