Russia blocks more Ukrainian dairy products

By Rachel Arthur

- Last updated on GMT

Russia Ukraine dairy imports

Related tags Dairy products Russia

Russia has banned more Ukrainian dairy imports, over alleged contamination and fatty acid content.

Dairy producer Milkiland said Rospotrebnadzor, (the Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being), has suspended imports to Russia of milk and dairy from seven subsidiaries of Milkiland-Ukraine.

Rospotrebnadzor remarked on the fatty acid content of cheese and ‘microbial contamination’ of dairy products, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

'Nothing to do with the quality of our products'

As of last Friday (July 4), imports have not been allowed into Russia.

In a statement, Anatoly Yurkevych, CEO, Milkiland said, “These restrictions do not address specific products but a group of seven production facilities, four of which have not supplied anything to the Russian Federation for over five​ last years. This fact suggests that it has nothing to do with the quality of our products.

“Previously, Rospotrebnadzor decided to suspend the import of dairy products by two Milkiland-Ukraine subsidiaries. We repeatedly appealed to the Federal Service to establish a constructive dialogue, to examine the problems and to develop an action plan to address them.

“Unfortunately, Rospotrebnadzor has ignored our appeals and we have received no reply to our requests.

“Supplying Ukrainian dairy to Russia for 10 years, the Group’s plants always fulfils all the requirements and regulations of the Russian Federation and the Customs Union. This was many times confirmed, including by independent laboratories and Rospotrebnadzor and Rosselkhoznadzor inspections.

“We are deeply sorry that our Russian customers and consumers will suffer due to these allegations.”

Import battle

In April, Rospotrebnadzor suspended the import on dairy products​ made by six Ukrainian dairies, citing ‘breaches of the law in the area of consumer protection.”

This followed a ban by the Ukraine State Inspectorate for Consumer Protection (Derzhspozhyvinspektsiyeyu) on several cheese products manufactured by Lactalis Istra, the Russian subsidiary of French dairy giant Lactalis.

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