‘No panic due to possible ban on the import of Indian rice to Russia is to be expected in our stores,’ reports Kirovskiy supermarket chain.

‘We have a good assortment of different kinds of rice, and besides, Indian rice, with its 10% share in the turnover, has never been our leading product. This is why even if it is actually banned, we shall experience no shortage. There are other good suppliers such as China (the most popular producer) and Krasnodar’, Kirovskiy’s press officer Olga Nagibina said to UrBC.

Rosselkhoznadzor (the state agricultural watchdog) has asked India to deal with its crops within a month so as to provide each shipment with documents about what pesticides (as well as how much and when) were used in production and storage of rice. If they fail to meet these requirements, Rosselkhoznadzor will have to put limits on rice import from India, or even ban it completely beginning from May 1, 2007.