Delegation of Russia's agriculture watchdog will head to Iran next week to hold a pre-import inspection and make a final decision on the sales.


MOSCOW, December 12 (Sputnik) � Russia may start importing fish and fish products from�Iran this month, a spokesman for�Russia�s agriculture watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor said Friday.

Russia banned imports of�fish, seafood and other foodstuffs from�the European Union and other countries earlier this year in�response to�Western sanctions on�Russia over�Ukraine.

�A delegation of�Rosselkhoznadzor will head to�Iran next week to�hold a pre-import inspection and make a final decision on�the sales. The delivery will take place as�soon as�we inspect the cargo, maybe even next week,� Aide to�the Head of�Rosselkhoznadzor Alexey Alexeyenko said.

Alexeyenko added that Russia planned to�import all kinds of�agricultural produce from�Iran, including fruit and vegetables. The Russian official said this issue would be brought up�for discussion before�Russian experts next week.

In October, Rosselkhoznadzor Head Sergey Dankvert said that Russia had included over�20 Iranian seafood companies producing shrimps and marine products on�a list of�potential suppliers. On Wednesday, the Iranian Ministry of�Agriculture said that 18 Iranian companies intended to�start supplying fish products to�Russia.

According to�Russia�s Federal Customs Service, the total cost of�imported fish and fish products in�Russia reached $2.86 billion in�2013. The largest exporters were Norway, Chile, China, Iceland and the Faroe Islands.

By Sputnik News

 

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