YEREVAN. - Reputation of Armenian fish in the Russian market shouldn’t dacrificed for the sake of the re-export of fish from the third countries, Arthur Atoyan, Chairman of the Union of Armenian Fish Farmers and Exporters told Armenian News – NEWS.am.

“Re-exporting is senseless. It’s better to export one’s own [product]. It’s another thing that the fish from abroad can be cheaper than ours by prime cost. Here we only need to learn from them. Of course, this kind of operation may be profitable. But the reputation must be more important to any entrepreneur respecting himself,” Atoyan said.

Several days ago, Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) limited the delivery of fish from 14 Norwegian companies, also closing their transit to the other EEU republics – Belarus, Kazakhstan and Armenia – to avoid shadow re-exportation of sanctioned products back to Russia.

Nevertheless, the veterinary authorities of other EEU republics have the right to retain the import of the Norwegian fish, if the cargo transit is carried out circumventing Russia.

In 2014, Armenia exported fish worth $16,5 million almost entirely to Russia.