Japanese seafood exporters take last minute measures to stay on Russian fish market

Nearly at the close of the year Japanese exporters and Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Rosselkhoznadzor have eventually made an agreement that the Russian inspectors will shortly be visiting Japanese fishing and processing companies towards approval for exportation to Russia, reports www.fishnet-russia.com (www.fishnet.ru) with reference to the Service.

The agreement has come as last minute measures of the Japanese to stay on the Russian seafood market in view of the coming switch to the regime of importation from Russia-approved plants as of 1st January 2009.

The respective negotiations have taken place in Moscow and the sides have agreed for an inspection from 15 to 22 December 2008. During that period the Russian vets will check fishing companies, processing plants, and coldstores for compliance with Russian vet requirements. The Russian say that the Japanese were warned of the new procedure with a good notice but the Japanese have allegedly been slow to make a proper response to the new requirements.