MINSK, 11 December (BelTA) – The Russian information system Argus-Phyto will be introduced in Belarus by the end of January 2016, BelTA learned from Belarusian Deputy Agriculture and Food Minister Vladimir Grakun.
According to the source, specialists of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance of Russia (Rosselkhoznadzor) are already working in Belarus and intend to deploy the system by the end of January. They are now installing the software, said the official.
According to the source, the Russian system will allow the Belarusian side to do its work faster without conflicts. “The Russian side will be able to track the process as soon as applications for phytosanitary certificates are submitted for re-exported products and Belarusian ones. The Russian side will be able to respond to violations right away. Cases when exports are rejected at the border will be ruled out. The system will become much more transparent,” he stressed.
Speaking about negotiations on harmonizing Belarusian and Russian phytosanitary measures in Moscow on 10 December, Vladimir Grakun noted that the talks went in a friendly atmosphere. “We reviewed a number of issues. Rosselkhoznadzor has already given us a database that lists the products, which are unusual for certain countries. For instance, it is unlikely that Morocco will supply fresh mushrooms, strawberries, pears, and carrots. Now we will use the information when we have to issue phytosanitary certificates for re-export purposes,” he explained.
Apart from that, Belarusian specialists will be able to go through training courses in the All-Russian Plant Quarantine Center. “We have also invited representatives of Rosselkhoznadzor to come to Belarus and inspect how mushrooms, fruits, and vegetables are grown and stored here. They had some complaints about it in the past and we are ready to welcome their inspectors as soon as possible,” concluded Vladimir Grakun.
