Exports from salmon giant Mowi's Chilean operations will be restricted entry into Russia beginning Feb. 17, according to Rosselkhoznadzor, the Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance. The agency said it has found bacterial traces in some of Mowi's products.
Russia is also banning products from two other Chilean salmon farmers, Salmones Aysen and Yadran Quellon.
Mowi Chile CEO Fernando Villarroel declined to comment to IntraFish on the situation.
Restrictions were placed on exports to Russia from six Chilean plants, including Camanchaca, Acme Chile, Cermaq Chile, Inversiones Coihuin and Nova Austral.
Some operations for Multiexport and Cermaq were also singled out for "enhanced laboratory monitoring" by the agency.
Exports from Mowi Faroes have also been under enhanced scrutiny in Russia since Nov. 27, according to Rosselkhoznadzor.
New research from Rabobank on the effect of trade wars on the seafood industry shows that Russia may be implementing a winning seafood strategy, as exports to the EU have held ground while imports from Western markets have dropped considerably.
Russia’s federal fishery agency, Rosrybolovstvo, has ambitious plans to nearly triple the country’s overall farmed salmon production by 2030.
In 2018, Russia’s production of farmed salmonids, including Atlantic salmon and trout, increased 20 percent compared with the previous year, to reach 67,000 metric tons, according to Rosrybolovstvo.
