Russia's vegoil union seeks sunflower seed export limits for 6 months

Russian vegetable oil union has asked the agriculture ministry to restrict sunflower seed exports for six months from April 1 following a surge in domestic prices due to a fall in the rouble currency, the head of the union said on Wednesday.

Mikhail Maltsev told Reuters the union, a non-government lobby group of vegetable oil producers, did not know if the ministry had agreed to the proposal. The ministry did not respond immediately to Reuters' request for comment.

The union also asked the ministry to tell Russia's agri safety watchdog to impose temporary restrictions on sunseed exports from March 24, Maltsev said, adding he was not aware if there had been any decision by the ministry on this proposal either. Russia's agriculture safety watchdog, Rosselkhoznadzor, reports to the agriculture ministry. It is in charge of issuing phytosanitary certificates to traders. Each export supply needs such certificate to leave the country.

There are no official restrictions on exports of sunseeds, soybeans or rapeseed, Rosselkhoznadzor spokeswoman Yulia Melano told Reuters.