Rosselkhoznadzor Destroys 21 Tons of Undocumented Raspberries, Bilberries, and Apricots
Interfax
July 15, 2016

During the course of a joint enforcement effort with law enforcement agencies, employees of the Rosselkhoznadzor (Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance) office for the Rostov, Volgograd and Astrakhan Regions and Republic of Kalmykia identified and destroyed 21.1 tons of raspberries, bilberries, and apricots, according to the agency’s press service.

Two vehicles transporting berries and fruits were stopped at the 944-kilometer mark on the M4 Don Highway.

A ton of raspberries and 300 kilograms of bilberries without labels and the relevant accompanying phytosanitary documents were discovered in the first vehicle. According to the bill of lading, the shipper of the first vehicle was Simurg, Ltd. (Moscow), while the consignee was a produce market in Rostov-on-Don.

19.8 tons of apricots, also lacking labels and phytosanitary documents, were discovered in the second vehicle, although the wooden pallets were labeled “Republic of Turkey.” According to the bill of lading, the shipper was Abrikol, Ltd. (Moscow), while the consignee was Perevozchik, Ltd. (Simferopol).

An audit performed by the Rosselkhoznadzor Rostov Testing Center revealed the presence of quarantined items, in particular, the Oriental fruit moth (Grapholita molesta) in the apricots, and the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) in the raspberries and bilberries.

All the produce was destroyed at the municipal solid waste landfill in Rostov-on-Don’s northwestern industrial zone.

Translated by the Russian Reader. Thanks to Valentin Urusov for the heads-up