Capridae Beetle Smoked Out Of Indian Tobacco

Source from:  kommersant.com Feb. 13, 2008 02/15/2008

Russia's agricultural watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor lifted yesterday the ban on import of some plant products from India. In addition to tea and coffee, which have been benefitting from special treatment from the very beginning, the authorities sanctioned supplies of Indian tobacco, spices, seasoning and dry mixes starting from February 12. Rostekhnadzor banned the import of Indian plants and some plant products on January 28. On January 21, the Capridae beetle was found in a consignment of sesame seeds that arrived in Novorossiisk from India. This beetle is the most dangerous pest for grain and grain products. The import of plant products from third countries with phytosanitary certificates of Indian Plant Quarantine Organization was banned as well. The ban also extended to tea, coffee, rice, peanuts and tobacco and the forecasted aftereffect was the surge in prices of 15 percent to 25 percent. But producers and importers of tea, coffee and spices won the exclusive treatment for their products, which conditioned the import to availability of quarantine certificates. Now, however, it was decided to resume supplies of Indian tobacco, dry onion, mushrooms, vegetables, mixes and hope cones under procedures applied to the tea and coffee deliveries. Russia's tobacco industry depends on imported tobacco by 100 percent. 2007 supplies stood at roughly 300,000 tons, including nearly 10 percent covered by Indian tobacco. The reserves usually suffice for 2.5 months. Enditem