MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Saturday, the watchdog reported a significant increase in apples from Serbia to Russia, and therefore asked Serbian colleagues to provide further information on their production.
"We suspect that, very likely, there is a re-export [from Serbia]. Most probably, these are the Polish apples," the watchdog's press secretary Yulia Trofimova told RIA Novosti.
In August 2014, Moscow introduced a round of restrictions on certain food products from the countries that introduced anti-Russian sanctions over Ukraine conflict, namely the US, the EU, Australia and Norway.
In this regard, Rosselkhoznadzor subsequently restricted meat and fruit and vegetables deliveries from Ukraine, Moldovia, Montenegro and Albania.
Trofimova said that if Serbian colleagues failed to reply within ten days, it was very likely that a ban would be introduced. She added that restrictions would be imposed not only on apples, but on all fruits and vegetables from Serbia.
Rosselkhoznadzor has repeatedly said the volume of fruit and vegetable deliveries from Serbia had notably expanded. In early January, the Russian government watchdog suggested increased oversight and regulation of Serbian imports to Russia.
