Russia exports first shipment of soft wheat since 2023 to Colombia

KRASNODAR. Aug 11 (Interfax) - Russia has exported the first shipment of soft wheat since 2023 to Colombia from the port of Novorossiysk, the Novorossiysk branch of the Federal Center for Assessment of Safety and Quality of Agricultural Products (FSBI SQA) told Interfax.

"Specialists from the Novorossiysk branch of the FSBI SQA examined five shipments of Russian soft wheat totaling 16,000 tonnes for export to Colombia from the port of Novorossiysk. Direct shipments of domestic wheat from Novorossiysk to this country last occurred in 2023," the branch said.

Samples of soft wheat destined for the Colombian market were tested to confirm compliance with the Customs Union's technical regulations "On Grain Safety", as well as the Codex Alimentarius international standards, contracts, and importing country requirements.

Lilia Kugusheva, Director of the Novorossiysk branch of the FSBI SQA, said that Colombia's National Institute for Food and Drug Surveillance (INVIMA) imposes strict requirements for food and radiological safety.

"Regarding wheat grain, the total aflatoxin content (B1, B2, G1, and G2) must not exceed 4 mcg/kg, ochratoxin A - 5 mcg/kg, and zearalenone - 100 mcg/kg. Toxic elements are also monitored. The limit for cadmium (Cd) is 0.20 mg/kg, and the mass fraction of lead (Pb) must not exceed 0.20 mg/kg," Kugusheva said.

Furthermore, Colombian law specifically requires advanced spectrometry to confirm radiological safety.

The entire shipment also passed phytosanitary inspection for the absence of quarantine organisms prior to departing port. Mandatory phytosanitary decontamination was carried out for all wheat shipments in compliance with the regulations required by the Colombian Institute of Agriculture (ICA).