Authorities advocate for a comprehensive prohibition on the movement of cacti from Kamchatka by private individuals
In a recent statement, Sergey Dankvert, the Head of Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor), has expressed concerns about the current regulations allowing passengers to carry up to 10 kg of red caviar from Kamchatka without providing documents.
Dankvert argued that there is no control over the caviar's processing from potential parasites and that no one is counting the number of people who have fallen ill and had their sick leave paid by social funds. He compared the transportation of caviar to the import of dried antelope meat from African countries, suggesting it could lead to the spread of parasites in the European part of Russia.
The initiative to impose restrictions on caviar transportation originally came from the governors of the Far Eastern regions, including Kamchatka. Dankvert believes that such measures, although unpopular, are necessary to reduce health risks for citizens and to reduce budget spending on treatment.
In a span of just one week, from May 12 to 18, more than 1.4 tons of unmarked red caviar were transported from Elizovo Airport in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to the mainland of Russia. The largest volume, 846 kg, was transported by Aeroflot passengers headed to Moscow. To Vladivostok, 209 kg of caviar was transported, which is four times less than the Moscow volume, and to Novosibirsk - 175 kg.
Dankvert proposed a complete ban on individuals transporting caviar on airplanes due to lack of control over quality and storage conditions. He also suggested that the temporary experiment introduced in 2022 and made permanent in 2024 should be transformed into a full ban.
However, it's important to note that the proposal to completely ban the individual transport of salmon roe on airplanes was made by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, not by Dankvert or the Russian government.
Dankvert's comparison of the potential caviar ban to restrictions on transporting pasteurized products, such as milk, in "unfriendly developed countries" was criticized because the Far East and Moscow are part of the same country, unlike international flights to Europe where strict customs rules apply.
Despite the criticism, Dankvert expressed his concern about the lack of tracking of how transported caviar is processed and the absence of statistics on cases of poisoning. He compared the situation to the import of dried antelope meat from African countries, implying that it is unnecessary and potentially harmful.
In conclusion, Dankvert's call for a caviar ban on domestic flights is a response to concerns about health risks and budget spending on treatment due to the lack of control over the caviar's processing and storage conditions. While the proposal has faced criticism, the issue remains a topic of debate in Russia's agricultural and health sectors.
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