MOSCOW, June 28 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s agricultural watchdog on Friday lifted a ban on imports of Georgian tea, spices, nuts and similar foodstuffs.
"Such goods do not require phytosanitary certification for crossing the Russian border. However, such products are subject to phytosanitary quarantine control,” the watchdog, Rosselkhoznadzor, said in a statement.
The agency has said that Russia may soon begin exporting animal products, such as meat and milk, to Georgia.
Russia banned the importation of Georgian wines, mineral water and agricultural products in 2006, citing low quality of such goods. The measure, which Georgia described as politically motivated, came as ties between the two former Soviet nations soured with the rise to power of pro-Western Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili.
Talks about lifting the ban began shortly after the opposition Georgian Dream coalition came into power last year. In March, Russia’s consumer rights watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, cleared 36 Georgian winemakers and four mineral water producers to resume deliveries to Russia.
