UPDATE: Watchdog suspends dairy imports from Belarus from Feb 26

(Adds comments by Belarus in last two paragraphs)

MOSCOW/MINSK, Feb 22 (PRIME) -- Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Oversight has suspended milk and some dairy product imports from Belarus from February 26, the service said on Thursday.

Besides milk, the ban affects pasteurized, sterilized, concentrated, canned and condensed cream, buttermilk, and whey protein and milk protein concentrate.

The watchdog said that Belarus continues to supply unsafe dairy products to Russia. The ban was introduced until relevant talks with Belarus’ veterinary service are held and the situation with ensuring safety of Belarusian products is settled.

Belarusian First Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Leonid Marinich said that Belarus is surprised by the Russian watchdog’s decision to suspend the imports and is trying to find out the reasons.

“We’ve just read… We are currently finding out what pushed (the Russian side) to such decision,” Marinich told PRIME.

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