MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian agricultural watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor may ban flower imports from the Netherlands due to the presence of quarantined organisms in shipments, Interfax news agency reported on Tuesday, citing the head of the service.
Rosselkhoznadzor chief Sergei Dankvert made the statement at a meeting with the Colombian ambassador to Russia in Moscow on Tuesday.
The probability that the ban will be imposed is high, and that might have an economic impact on Colombia since its flowers are shipped to Russia via the Netherlands, Interfax quoted Dankvert as saying.
Rosselkhoznadzor was not immediately available for comment when called by Reuters.
Russia banned most Western food imports from August 2014 in reaction to Western sanctions over Moscow's role in the Ukraine crisis.
Moscow is also considering more import curbs on Western goods, including flowers, confectionery and canned fish products and flowers, the Agriculture Ministry said in June.
(Reporting by Polina Devitt; editing by Alexander Winning)