India sent the first batch of bananas to Russia in January, with subsequent deliveries scheduled to continue until the end of February, as stated by Rosselkhoznadzor in an official announcement.
“The matter of accessing Indian fruits, in particular bananas, had been hammered out by the parties for several years... this collaborative work resulted in the shipment of the first batch of bananas from India to Russia in January 2024, according to plans, the next delivery will be completed by the end of February this year,” the statement noted.
Rosselkhoznadzor has highlighted the expectation of a continual rise in the quantity of Indian bananas being exported to the Russian market. The competent departments of both nations thoroughly discussed the supply of fruits from India to Russia during the negotiations held on February 2.
The Indian delegation, led by the Department of Plant Protection, Quarantine, and Storage of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, expressed a keen interest in broadening the spectrum of fruit supplies to Russia, encompassing bananas, mangoes, pineapples, papaya, and guava.
Rosselkhoznadzor affirms that there are presently no restrictions on importing fruits and vegetables from India to Russia, allowing for the unrestricted supply of Indian fruits to the Russian Federation, provided a phytosanitary certificate accompanies them.
The Indian authorities are expected to furnish the service with a list of fruits intended for export to Russia, while Russian officials will articulate phytosanitary requirements for such products.
Citing data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the report from the department highlights India as the world's leading banana producer. In 2023, the South Asian country's banana production reached 33 million tonnes, surpassing China (12 million tonnes) and Indonesia, which ranked third with 8.7 million tonnes.