Russia to lift restrictions on Belarusian beef imports 5 February

          Restrictions of beef imports to Russia from nine Belarusian companies where Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance found the African swine fever genome, will be removed on 5 February, Agriculture and Food Minister of Belarus Leonid Zayats told media after his talks with head of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance of Russia (Rosselkhoznadzor) Sergei Dankvert.
According to Leonid Zayats, the decision was made after Russia’s recently-conducted monitoring of a number of Belarusian companies. Every batch of Belarusian beef will be sent with the relevant laboratory tests, the minister said.  
        Leonid Zayats noted that the talks were held at the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC). “We are satisfied with today’s meeting. We have received the answers to all the questions as well as informed and proved that we are able to provide safe food supplies to the Russian market,” Leonid Zayats stressed. At the same time he noted: “We need to work with laboratory tests very seriously and cooperate more closely with Russian specialists at the Eurasian Economic Commission in order to harmonize the legislation that would meet the interests of both Belarus and Russia”.