Sowing seeds from countries where the distribution of quarantine facilities for these products has been identified will be carried out under the supervision of the Russian Agricultural Inspection. The order was issued by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation.
According to Interfax, according to the document, citizens, legal entities engaged in sowing and planting regulated products should notify the territorial administrations of the Rosselkhoznadzor about the place, date of sowing and planting, the name and quantity of regulated products. After that, the official of the control department must notify the citizen or organization that plans to sow or plant regulated products about the date and time for the on-site inspection. The audit must be carried out within five working days from the date of registration of the notice. Based on the results of the inspection, an act of state quarantine phytosanitary control should be executed within one business day.
The Russian Grain Union considers this measure of control excessive and fear that its introduction could seriously delay the sowing campaign in the Russian Federation.
“This is excessive control, since all imported products are accompanied by phytosanitary documents confirming their safety and are additionally checked when crossing the border of the Russian Federation,” Interfax commented on the situation in the union.
The timing of approval of field inspections will inevitably lead to a breakdown in the sowing dates, we are confident in the union. At the same time, changes in weather conditions, and hence the sowing date, will automatically make the farmer a violator of the requirements of the order, require a new application procedure and a new waiting period for approval of the on-site inspection.
“Since the order also applies to citizens, millions of Russian summer residents and owners of private farms growing vegetables and flowers on their plots will have to get permission to do this if they use imported seeds,” the union explained. “And the Rosselkhoznadzor control department is to conduct on-site inspections of millions of bags of seeds of cucumbers, tomatoes and other crops for quarantine objects and draw up at the same time acts of state quarantine phytosanitary control.”
The Grain Union sent its concerns about the entry into force of the order to the Ministry of Economic Development. In the letter, he also draws attention to the fact that for additional control of imported seed, Rosselkhoznadzor will need to significantly increase the staff of inspectors.
“Every year, in the territory of the Russian Federation, imported sowing and planting material is placed on millions of hectares. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, in 2018 the share of imported corn seeds was 48,8%, sugar beets - 96,5%, sunflower - 61,3%, vegetables - 72,6%, potatoes - 54,5%, ”it says in the letter.
The Grain Union also notes that the preparation of such orders should be carried out in a transparent manner with the involvement of the business community, and not in a pandemic and general quarantine.