Russia rejects India’s rice consignment due to pest contamination

The Dollar Business Bureau | @TheDollarBiz   Russia’s phytosanitary watchdog, Rosselkhoznadzor, has rejected a rice consignment from India after it was found that the grains were contaminated with pests. Rosselkhoznadzor said, “The Rosselkhoznadzor Administration for Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast detected low quality and hazardous rice exported from India.” Tests revealed that the stored grains were contaminated with pests – 4 specimen per kg (meal worm-1 specimen per kg, locust leaf roller – 2 specimens per kg, ticks – 1 specimen per kg), it added. According to Russian officials, the contamination was detected in steam-treated (parboiled) rice consignment in July 2014 and the specified grain consignment is banned for import to the Russian Federation. The Russian rice market is a growing one for Indian exporters, but remains vulnerable to bans based on phytosanitary concerns. India’s rice exports to Russia grew almost six-fold to around 63,040 tonnes in FY2012-13 compared to the previous year, but exports in FY2013-14 declined to 55,167 tonnes due to Rosselkhoznadzor’s ban on rice imports from India during February – August 2013. Russia’s rice imports are expected to increase this year to around 250,000 tonnes in 2014, up about 4% from an estimated 240,000 tonnes in 2013 due to declining rice acreage in the country.  

This article was published on August 13, 2014.