Rice disappears from Moscow stores

Moscow, Jan 2 (UNI) With a temporary ban on imports last month rice has disappeared from Moscow stores, in the New Year, as people searched for it from store to store, reminding Soviet-era days of scarcity for staple food products.

Russia temporarily imposed a total ban on rice imports early December citing concerns over pesticides and genetically modified ingredients.

Earlier that ban was a non-discriminatory and temporary measure, Russian Foreign Ministry said, adding, ''We want to say this measure is non-discriminatory in relation to foreign importers. It is universal and temporary''.

Russia imports nearly 50 per cent of its rice, with major suppliers being Vietnam, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Egypt, China, Spain and Uruguay.

The Ministry pointed out that checks had revealed an increasing amount of poor quality and even dangerous rice imports, in circumvention of Russian food safety requirements.

''The decision to suspend import licenses was based on standard examination, regardless of the importer,'' the Ministry said.

The move would drive up prices for rice in the country. The scarcity of rice in the capital, has already caused a big rise in the prices, Russia's leading business daily Kommersant said.

UNI