51�Թ�

On Saturday, Russia’s federal agency for veterinary and phytosanitary controls announced it was banning imports from five Ecuadorian banana companies, claiming that a disease had been found in previous shipments of their fruits.

Last year, South Africa lodged its first ever WTO dispute complaint when it challenged the EU's phytosanitary requirements for imports of oranges and other citrus products related to the False Codling Moth.

"It will move us closer to our goal of creating the most effective border in the world, by introducing an improved regime of sanitary, phytosanitary and security controls on imports."

Imported onions, bought mostly from India and China, require sanitary and phytosanitary permits for quarantine and biosecurity purposes.

An internal ministry memo seen by Reuters warns that a decree published on Jan. 1 reshuffling staff at the agency could undermine food inspection services and a critical network of six federal laboratories responsible for controlling vaccines, veterinary drugs and phytosanitary pesticides.