RUSSIA: Russia and Moldova to agree on pesticides - report

By just-drinks.com editorial team | 30 November 2006

Russia and Moldova's authorities are to draw up an agreement on which pest control chemicals can be used on Moldova's wine grapes, according to local reports.

Russian news service Itar-Tass said yesterday (29 November) that the country's agricultural watchdog, Rosselkhoznadzor, will work with its Moldovan counterpart to agree which chemicals can and cannot be used. The report follows the announcement earlier this week that Russia is lifting its ban on the former Soviet republic's wine and meat products.

Although a date has not yet been set for the removal of the ban, the news service said that a specific date will be agreed "soon".

Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with his Moldovan counterpart, Vladimir Voronin, to agree an end to the ban. While Russia had claimed that the boycott was due to the presence of pesticides in the country's wines, Moldova claimed the decision was more in support of Trans-Dniester, a breakaway Moldovan province that wants closer ties with Moscow.

Sectors: Wine