Russia hopes Tunisia will approve veterinary import certificates

The Russian animal and plant health monitoring body, Rosselkhoznadzor, is awaiting approval from the Tunisian veterinary service for veterinary certificates for imports of meat products from Russia. Further, they are waiting for inspections of the Russian veterinary insurance system for the production and sale of animal products, as reported by the Russian press agency “Interfax.”

This statement was made during a meeting between the advisor to the head of Rosselkhoznadzor, Vasily Lavrovsky, and the acting director of border control at the Tunisian Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, which was held as part of a Russian business mission to Tunisia, the watchdog reported.

The conditions for giving access to Russian animal products to the Tunisian market were examined during this meeting.

Lavrovsky stated that Russian companies are ready to export poultry, beef, lamb, processed meat products from poultry, beef, mutton and goat, and pet food plant-based products to Tunisia, the agency stated.

Rosselkhoznadzor, in turn, will inspect Tunisian fishing companies interested in exporting their goods to Russia.

During the mission, officials said Russian exports of agricultural products to Tunisia have grown eightfold over the past five years. The major exports are wheat, barley and sunflower oil, but there is also potential for exporting animal products.

The Agroexport Center of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, one of the mission’s organisers, estimated that Russian agricultural exports to Tunisia could rise by a third compared to 2023 and reach $400 million in the short term.