Russian vets inspected Argentinean plants

Inspectors from Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Rosselkhoznadzor visited the National Food Safety and Quality Service (SENASA as abbreviated from Spanish), fish processing factories and fishing vessels in the port of Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires.

More specifically, from 9 to 17 July 2008 the Russian vets together with SENASA specialists inspected 26 processing facilities and 2 factory vessels. The inspection was aimed at evaluation of the production cycle before issuing export permits.

As a result, SENASA and Rosselkhoznadzor signed a cooperation agreement in the sphere of fisheries, the document mostly aimed at bringing standards of wild and cultured seafood safety valid in the both countries to mutual compliance.

In June 2007 Russia suspended importation of seafood made by Argentinean plants not approved by the Russian veterinaries.

In 2007 Russia imported 17,790 metric tons of Argentinean fish products totally worth 26.8 million USD. The bulk of imported products was contributed by hake (Merluccius hubssi), Argentinean hoki (Macruronus magellanicus) and squid (Illex argentines). In the first six months of 2008 SENASA registered export shipments of 6177 tonnes of finsh and mollusks totally worth 10.7 million USD onto the Russian market.