Russian watchdog might exclude 100 German agribusinesses

Russia's consumer rights watchdog might take out over 100 German agribusiness from the list of exporters because their products do not meet the veterinary and sanitary requirements of the Customs Union of which Russia is a member, an official told Itar-Tass on Tuesday. "The German veterinary service informed the Rosselkhoznadzor Federal Service for Consumers Protection and Welfare after a check that 133 companies had not met these requirements. Therefore they can be taken out of the list of the businesses which have the right to export their products to Russia and two other countries of the Customs Union," an aide to the director of the Russian watchdog Alexei Alexeyenko said. These businesses include 65 fish and seafood producers, 16 meat producers, nine poultry producers, 14 pork producers, four beef producers and 19 dairy farms. Alexeyenko said Rosselkhoznadzor had urged the German veterinary service to stop issuing certificates to the companies that fail to meet the Russian and Custom Union's requirements.