A shortage of raw organic materials has been cited as behind a decision by the Russian Government to lift the import embargo on dried and frozen foods destined for the baby food sector.

TASS reported the move would allow imports of poultry, beef and vegetables used in baby food manufacturing, and the Agriculture Ministry would be in charge of approving the intended use of these products.

The ministry will also have the task of setting the order and volume of permitted imports, according to decree n.472, of May 27, 2016.

The current ban has been in place since August, 2014, as a response to sanctions implemented by Western countries in response to Russia's annexation of the Crimea in the Ukraine.

The ban covers the EU, the U.S., Canada, Australia and Norway, and in 2015 was widened to include Albania, Montenegro, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich told the publication the decision was prepared a long time prior.

"There was nothing surprising about it," he was quoted as saying.

"Our country has capacities to produce baby food from organic raw materials. The decision is aimed at this. We don’t have our own organic materials, really, we don’t, but I just stress it - this is a very narrow segment of organic raw materials."

The story reported Dvorkovich emphasized the measure would not lead to the penetration of these products on the black market.

"No, we have a very firm intention to control the import of organic raw material for specific enterprises," he was quoted as saying.

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