Belarus imposed broad restrictions on potato imports from the European Union on February 1 in response to criticism from Russia.
The agriculture ministry said that imports would continue from areas in the European Union where potatoes have been certified as safe by Belarusian and Russian government experts.
The ministry said that the import restrictions applied to seed potato as well.
In late January, Russia’s Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Monitoring Service (Rosselkhoznadzor) warned that it could impose restrictions on potato imports from Belarus.
Belarus’ refusal to sign several Customs Union agreements allows it to supply Russia with potatoes from the European Union under the pretense that they were grown in Belarus, said Rosselkhoznadzor head Sergei Dankvert.
Russia imposed restrictions on the import of potatoes from the EU in July 2013, explaining that the country found European phytosanitary regulations unsatisfactory.
