Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Oversight has introduced a temporary ban on dairy and meat imports from 14 Finnish facilities.

The regulator said the ban is expected to take effect from 23 July.

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The watchdog has banned products from dairy processors Valio and Hameenlinnan Osuusmeijeri, ice cream firm Ingman Ice Cream and meat producers Atria, HK Ruokatalo, Snellman, and Saarioinen.

However, Ingman Ice Cream business development director Juha Lepisto told just-food the ban would not cause the business major problems as the company plans to deliver products from its Belarus facilities.

Lepisto said the problems stemmed from differences in EU and Russian regulations but he added the Russian authorities had enforced the ban to support its own local production.

“I don’t think that local Russian producers are meeting those levels of hygiene quality. They’re definitely not producing to the same level as in Finland,” he said.

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Valio agreed that the temporary restrictions stem from differences between EU and Russian legislation.

The dairy firm said it is working with the Finnish Food Safety Authority to investigate the precise reasons for the ban and would continue to export its products to Russia as normal after 23 July.

 

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