Russia lifts ban on Finnish dairy products

Meat import restrictions still in force

print this

Russia is lifting its ban on the import of Finnish dairy products as of Friday. Restrictions on the import of meat products by certain Finnish manufacturers are still in force.
      Russia agreed to lift the ban in talks last week. The Finnish Food Safety Authority (EVIRA) promised to implement laboratory tests demanded by Russia on Finnish dairy products.
      A special emphasis will be put on checking for arsenic, mercury, and streptomycin, for which Russia requires regular testing.
     
The differences in testing between the two countries are more about different legislation, rather than actual risks to consumers in food safety, emphasises Kyösti Siponen, head of the import and market monitoring unit of EVIRA.
      “In Finland we have determined that these substances do not require regular testing. Now we have promised to make the tests. As exports are involved, we will go according to Russian legislation”, Siponen says.
     
Further talks are being held on Finnish meat exports. EVIRA conducted new inspections this week at meat packing plants where Russian officials found what they considered shortcomings during their visit in May.
      “I will not go into detail, but they feel that there are different problems with different facilities. Let’s see how Russian legislation links up with each of them”, Siponen says.
      A report on the inspections will go to Russia by August 16th. Siponen expects Russia’s response to come about a week later.
     
The dairy company Valio says that exports to Russia are starting up on Friday, with loads that are larger than usual. Veijo Meriläinen, the company’s director of foreign operations and innovation, says that the losses incurred from the Russian import ban are minor.
      “In the early stages [export] volumes are greater, because there is plenty of demand. There have been shortages of some fresh products. We believe that trade will get back to normal”, Meriläinen says.
     
The import ban, affecting 14 Finnish food production facilities, took effect on July 23rd. In the Russian view, Finnish dairy farms keep milk in storage at the farms for a longer time before delivery to a dairy than is the norm in Russia.
      The two sides agreed that Finland would continue its present practices in milk delivery, but that the milk would undergo additional safety tests.
      The import ban on meat manufactured by Atria and two other meat packers came after the Russians said that they had found traces of antibiotics in the meat in connection with a tests at the border.
     
The food import issue somewhat overshadowed the visit to Finland by Russian President Dmitri Medvedev late last month.


Links:
  EVIRA: Export restrictions on Finnish dairy products to Russia to be lifted as of August 6th

Helsingin Sanomat