Russia expects that Turkey will cancel complicated rules for import of Russian agricultural produce in response to the decision allowing import of Turkish tomatoes, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters on Saturday, TASS reported.
"The fundamental decision was made in respect of tomatoes that import of 50,000 tonnes by the Russian Federation will be authorized from November 1. Coordination procedures for the relevant decree are underway. We expect it will be made before November 1. However, the speed of approval of this decree will depend in particular on action of our colleagues, including cancellation of bureaucratic barriers related to VAT invoices," Novak said.
Turkey imposed additional requirements to import of agricultural products from Russia on October 9. Exporters of unrefined sunflower oil, corn, dry peas, unshelled rice, sunflower oil cake and durum wheat will now be obliged to make additional certification of VAT invoices.
Russia restricted deliveries of agricultural products from Turkey since January 1, 2016. Almost all restrictions have been lifted to date but the ban on tomatoes import is still kept. Deliveries of Turkish tomatoes to Russia are expected to start late in 2017, Russian Minister of Agriculture Alexander Tkachev said earlier in October.