Despite the health certificates issued in the Netherlands, Belgium, and France, Russia refuses to import Moroccan tomatoes. It could be the carrier of the Pepino mosaics virus, according to the national laboratory.
The information was communicated on Wednesday by the Russian Agricultural Control Agency, relays the press agency, specifying that the ban entered into force from Friday, October 30.
“The health control of ripe tomatoes from the Kingdom of Morocco revealed the presence of the Pepino mosaics virus in 10 samples. The product had re-export certificates from Belgium, France and the Netherlands ”, we can read in the press release from the control agency.
The volume of trade between Morocco and Russia reached 1.65 billion dollars in 2019, according to statistics from the International Trade Center. Moroccan exports represent only 17% or 286 million dollars.
