Russian authorities yesterday announced they had intercepted tomato and potato shipments totaling 50 metric tons (MT) entering the country from Belarus that did not indicate countries of origin.

Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) said 20MT of tomatoes were being transported into Russia in banana crates with a phytosanitary certificate issued by Belarus, but there were no markings indicating where they were produced.

The 30MT of potatoes had neither a phytosanitary certificate nor any information on the country of origin.

Rosselkhoznadzor said both produce shipments were bound for Moscow, but had now been returned to Belarus as the circumstances did not allow for adequate control.

On August 19 the organization said there had been 11 separate cases in which it prevented the entry of unauthorized food imports totaling more than 93MT.

In two of these cases the countries of origin were said to be banned EU countries Spain and Hungary, and the shipments were accompanied by phytosanitary certificates issued by Belarus' Main State Inspectorate for Seed Production, Quarantine and Plant Protection of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

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