MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia's agriculture watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor said Wednesday it will impose temporary restrictions on imports of two types of lettuce from Turkey starting May 16.
"Due to the discovery of a quarantine subject — Western flower thrips — in green leaf lettuce and Iceberg lettuce arrived to Russia from Turkey, Rosselkhoznadzor imposes from May 16 temporary restrictions on imports, including through third countries, of this produce originated in Turkey," Rosselkhoznadzor said in a statement.
Russian-Turkish relations deteriorated following the downing of a Russian Su-24 jet by a Turkish F-16 fighter in Syria on November 24, 2015. In response to this "stab in the back," as it was described by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Moscow imposed a number of restrictive measures on Turkey.
These measures included a restriction of the activities of Turkish organizations in Russia, a prohibition on the hiring of Turkish citizens by Russian employers and a ban on certain food imports.
