Global General

Russia bans imports of Egyptian potatoes

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-06-03 16:19

MOSCOW - Russia has suspended imports of potatoes from Egypt because of food safety concerns, the country's food safety watchdog said Friday.

Egyptian potatoes could "destabilize the sanitary situation in the country," Rosselkhoznadzor said.

Rosselkhoznadzor spokesman Alexei Alexeyenko said the ban would be in place until Egyptian products meet Russia's safety requirements, RIA Novosti news agency reported.

The RIA report did not specify how Egyptian potatoes failed to meet Russian safety requirements.

Russia's latest move came one day after its ban on all fresh vegetable imports from the European Union in a bid to prevent a deadly E. coli bacteria outbreak from spreading into the country.