Russians "could lose patience and ban fruit imports"

Russians "could lose patience and ban fruit imports"

Belgrade, Moscow -- Russia's food safety agency Rosselkhoznadzor suspects that Serbia is re-exporting apples produced in Poland.

Russia has banned the import of food products from the EU in response to the western sanctions imposed against its economy and officials, and in the wake of this decision, Serbia increased apple exports to Russia by 48 percent, to 118,000 tons.

But if the latest suspicions are confirmed, Moscow could move to ban all imports of fruit and vegetables from Serbia.

Unofficially, Serbia has ten days to provide satisfactory answers to the Russian side.

Trade Minister Rasim Ljajic on Monday morning announced a meeting with Russian officials on this issue, saying that "we have no reason to hide anything from the Russians."

"No possibility should be ruled out in advance, and whatever information we obtain, we will tell our partners," he added.

Despite the fact that Russia's ban on imports from the EU represents a chance for Serbia's agriculture, there has been talk several times in the past few months about EU-produced fruit making its way to the Russian market with forged Serbian paperwork - something that would be in direct violation of the free trade agreement in place between the two countries.

Rosselkhoznadzor said over the weekend there was "concern over a significant increase in Serbia's apples exports"

RIA Novosti reported some ten hours after that announcement that Russia is currently considering the possibility of introducing a complete ban on all imports of fruit from Serbia.

"We suspect that re-exported apples are arriving from Serbia, most likely this is Polish fruit. We cannot make any...