“We had no discussions about the 33 companies allowed by the Russian authorities to export vegetal products to Russia. We were not consulted. The list was drawn up unilaterally and sent to us through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration on August 24,” Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Valeriu Cosarciuc told the reporters before today's meeting of the Cabinet, Info-Prim Neo reports. Cosarciuc said earlier the Agriculture Ministry asked that the list of the 136 companies that exported fruit and vegetables to Russia be extended to 177. He also said the losses that the agricultural sector will sustain will be great if Russia's food safety body Rospotrebnadzor does not change its position. “We asked for meetings with specialists of Rospotrebnadzor to find out their objections as the Moldovan fruit and vegetables that have been in demand on the Russian market for many decades,” Cosarciuc said. He advised the agricultural companies to merge into groups and continue exporting by fulfilling the requirements, as the exports have not been halted. He said that 46 large companies export agricultural products in Poland. In the meeting, Prime Minister Vlad Vilat instructed Valeriu Cosarciuc tomorrow morning to present detailed information about the restrictions on the export of vegetal products to Russia, including about the 33 companies selected by the Russian authorities.