Turkey and Russia agree on new plan to solve customs-related problems

Turkey and Russia have taken a new step to put an end to problems Turkish produce exporters have long encountered at the Russian border.

 

According to an agreement signed by the two countries, if there is a problem with the produce exported by either side, then the importing country will be free to impose sanctions solely on the company exporting bad produce rather than all exporters, Agricultural and Rural Affairs Minister Mehdi Eker told the Anatolia news agency on Monday.

 

He said they had also agreed to permit Russian authorities to inspect Turkish firms and inform the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture about firms on whose goods they detect inappropriate levels of pesticide residue. That way companies that do not follow the rules can be penalized rather than banning exports from the whole country.

 

"The right thing to do is punish careless producers," Eker emphasized. Turkish companies that are found guilty of shipping products with high levels of chemical fertilizers will be monitored closely for six months. Those who remedy the problem will be able to resume exports to Russia after six months of careful inspections. The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture will also provide training courses for producers to inform them about the latest developments and new regulations limiting the use of pesticides.

 

Russia banned the import of tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, grapes and lemons from Turkey in June 2008, citing high levels of pesticide residues detected on these items. Turkish trucks carrying produce often have to wait at Russian border gates, where their cargo is exhaustively checked and counted, resulting in delays in the delivery of Turkish goods to their destinations inside Russia.

 

Similar bans were imposed on Turkish produce in 2005 upon the detection of Mediterranean fruit fly larvae on produce imported from Turkey and in 2006, when Russia said tomatoes, zucchini, lemons and tangerines shipped from Turkey in February 2006 were contaminated.