Russia has granted approval to import fish and fish products to the Russian Federation from Sri Lanka, 2014, the External Affairs Ministry said.
The Ministry said the Federal Service of Veterinary Surveillance under the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation granted approval to import fish and fish products to the Russian Federation as a result of the untiring efforts of the Sri Lankan Government through its Embassy in Russia.
Initially, 14 Sri Lankan fish exporting companies who had sought to export their products to the Russian Federation have been included in the register of enterprises and individuals allowed to export into the territory of the Russian Federation and would benefit from this approval, it said.
According to the Ministry, these companies would also have the added advantage of exporting their products to the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Kazakhstan since these countries have established a Customs Union with the Russian Federation, whereby a product imported to one country can also be imported to the 2 other countries without payment of Customs duties.
The 14 Sri Lankan companies which would be able to supply fish and fish products in the categories of Fresh or Chilled Fish, Frozen Fish, Fish Fillets and Other Fish Meat, and Dried or Salted Fish.
According to statistics of the Russian Federal Customs Service, in 2013 Russia imported 443,014 tons of fish and fish products of these categories to the value of US$ 1581 million while it imported 484,000 tons of fish and similar products falling under this category to the value of US$ 1422 million.
