Moldovan fresh produce exporters have been urged to tighten controls over pest contamination or they could face a ban on some produce items going into Russia.

The Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) issued the warning after a consignment of Moldovan apricots was found to be contaminated with oriental fruit moth (Grapholita molesta Busck) on July 9, 2014.

Last year there were a total of 15 detections of oriental fruit moth from fresh produce exported from Moldova.

"Grapholitha molesta Busck was again detected in a consignment of apricots originating from the Republic of Moldova," Rosselkhoznadzor said in a statement.

"This has raised concern ahead of the period of bulk deliveries of quarantinable products from the Republic of Moldova to the Russian Federation.

"The Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance has informed the National Food Safety Agency of the Republic of Moldova that in case of new detection of quarantine pests in regulated products imported into the Russian Federation, we can consider the possibility of temporary restrictions being imposed on importation of quarantined products."

Meanwhile, the Russian food safety body has also issued another warning concerning a large consignment of potatoes from Israel infested with potato moth.

More than 1,186 MT of potatoes failed the phytosanitary control during import checks in the Russia seaport of Novorossiysk after arriving from Israel recently.

During inspections, officials discovered live larvae of Phthorimaea operculella Zell, commonly known as potato moth, present in the tubers which were later destroyed.

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