It has started buying the fruit from India and will increase imports from there
Russia has started buying bananas from India and will increase imports from that country, the Russian Veterinary and Phytosanitary Control Service Rosselhoznadzor reported, as quoted by Reuters. The decision comes after Moscow ditched its biggest importer, Ecuador, over its decision to swap its old Soviet military equipment for new weapons from the US.
The first shipment of bananas from India was transported to Russia in January, and the first is planned for the end of February, Rosselhoznadzor said, adding that “the volume of the amount of fruit from India to Russia will increase.”
Last week, Russia’s Veterinary and Phytosanitary Control Service canceled banana imports from five Ecuadorian companies, claiming it had found pesticides in their products.
Media in Ecuador reported yesterday that, according to the country’s Food Safety Agency, only 0.3% of fruit shipments to Russia contained pests that did not pose a danger.
The denial of the banana shipments came after Moscow denounced a deal under which Ecuador would hand over Soviet military equipment to the United States in exchange for $200 million worth of new American military equipment.
The United States has announced that arms from Ecuador will help Ukraine on the battlefield against Russia.
Trade relations between Delhi and Moscow have been deepening since 2022, when Western European countries imposed sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, forcing the Kremlin to strengthen ties with China, India and other non-Western European countries, Reuters notes.