MOSCOW, February 12 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s agricultural watchdog said on Tuesday it had lifted its ban on a number of Indian agriculture imports.
The ban on all agriculture products from India, except for tea, coffee and spices, was imposed on January 28 after a dangerous pest, the Khapra beetle, was allegedly found in sesame seed imported from India.
“Rosselkhoznadzor ordered to resume from February 12, 2008 the issuance of quarantine import certificates and to cancel earlier restrictions on the import of Indian plants into Russia,” the watchdog said in a statement.
The watchdog has lifted the restrictions taking into consideration additional sanitary measures as well as guarantees provided by the Indian side.
Russian Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov began a three-day working visit to India on February 11 to discuss measures to expand bilateral trade and investment cooperation.
Zubkov is heading a business delegation participating in the second Russia-Indian trade and investment forum on February 12-13. The delegation includes Economic Development and Trade Minister Elvira Nabiullina and the head of Rosatom nuclear corporation, Sergei Kiriyenko.
Bilateral trade between Russia and India is currently at an annual level of $5-6 billion. Both countries are seeking to increase this to $10 billion.