Russia has temporarily imposed a ban on the import of seed and ware potatoes from the European Union over safety concerns.
In a letter to the director of the European Commission for Health and Consumer Protection, Russia noted that the measures proposed by European Commission (EC) to ensure phyto-sanitary safety of products do not comply with the legislation requirements of Russia and the Customs Union, reported Pravda.ru.
This move comes after a parasite known as golden potato nematode was detected in potatoes from the Netherlands.
While the ban is expected to affect Netherlands, which exports large amounts of seed potatoes to Russia, it is also likely to have an impact on UK producers.
Meanwhile, Russia is also seeking a derogation to begin exporting potatoes to the EU. The EC had sought Russia technical dossiers on these plans. According to the EC, if the dossiers are available and are considered satisfactory, the commission would formulate a draft act for derogation.
