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Yevgeny Nepoklonov, Deputy Head of the Rosselkhoznadzor, addressed a letter to Ronald Jones, Assistant Administrator of the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the US Department of Agriculture. In the letter he expressed deep regret on the fact that in spite of repeated appeals from the Rosselkhoznadzor the American party gave no guarantees on the absence of beta-adenostimulator (ractopamine) in animal product consignments supplied on the Russian market.
The situation is aggravated by the fact that the USA continues exportation of meat containing ractopamine residues, which are detected during laboratory monitoring of the imported product safety. Failure of the American party to supply reliable ractopamine free meat results in undue additional costs spent by the Russian members of foreign trade on disposal, recycling or re-export of products non-compliant with the safety requirements. The Rosselkhoznadzor repeatedly notified the US Competent Authorities that in case of their failure to take necessary measures temporary restrictions on importation of some types of meat products from the USA would be considered. Alongside with that the Rosselkhoznadzor required official guaranties that finished meat products imported into Russia were manufactured from ractopamine free raw meat produced on the US establishments approved for exportation to Russia and other Customs Union countries. No reply to the request has been received by the Rosselkhoznadzor. Thus neither guarantees of ractopamine absence in the products nor information on measures taken by the US party in order to exclude exportation of products non-compliant with the RF and CU requirements were received.
In view of such facts the Rosselkhoznadzor considered it necessary to impose temporary restrictions on importation of pork and beef, pork and beef raw products and pork and beef finished products from the USA to Russia. The restrictions will be imposed from February 11, current year.
Wednesday January 30, 2013/ Rosselkhoznadzor/ Russia.
http://www.fsvps.ru/
