Russia agrees to resume Egyptian potato imports

Egypt and Russia have agreed to resume Egyptian potato imports to Russia starting with the next season, according to Egyptian Agriculture Minister Ayman Farid Abul Hadid.

Russia has canceled an earlier decision to halt potato imports from Egypt, Abul Hadid told Al-Masry Al-Youm.

The minister said rules have been set for Egyptian potato exports, such as exporting only from areas free of potato brown rot, a bacterial disease, as well as subjecting shipments to inspection at Egyptian ports by a joint Egyptian-Russian quarantine panel.

Egypt seeks to take over a large portion of world potato exports by next year, with exports that exceed 500,000 tons, the minister said.