OREANDA-NEWS  The first organic lemons became available on the Russian market, and a certificate of conformity was received by a company from South Africa, Zest fruit, Roskachestvo told RIA Novosti.

"The country's first lemons that have been certified according to the requirements of organic production have appeared on the Russian market. The certificate of conformity from Roskachestvo-Organic was received by Zest fruit (PTY) LTD from the city of Stellenbosch in the Republic of South Africa (South Africa)," the message says.

The National Institute for Quality Development noted that the certification was carried out by order of the ABC of Taste. Now you can find lemons that meet environmental standards on the shelves of the store chain. The standard ensures that the products were produced without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and GMOs.

Roskachestvo clarified that currently four producers from the African continent have been certified according to the Russian organic standard. Two companies from Tunisia that produce olive oil and olives, one from Kenya that specializes in avocados, and the last one was a lemon company.

"We see steady demand from African producers of fruits, berries, and wine products for certification of their products for compliance with the requirements of Russian organic standards," Vladimir Uvaidov, director of the Department for the Development of Organic and "green" products at Roskachestvo, said in a statement.

Roskachestvo recalled that all producers of certified organic products are included in the relevant register of the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia and receive the right to label their products with the "Organic" mark of the state standard (white sheet on a light green background).