Singapore, March 11 - Russia has imposed new import regulations for bulk coffee shipped out of India starting this month, said a senior Indian industry official Tuesday.
Indian coffee exports have to be packed in one-metric-ton polywoven bags or in a bulk container of 21 tons instead of 60-kg jute bags, said Ramesh Rajah, president of the Indian Coffee Exporters Association.
This is expected to add $100 to the cost of packing and forklifting per container.
In January, Russia initially declared a blanket ban on all Indian agricultural products - including coffee sacks made from fiber - after finding a grain pest beetle in a consignment of Indian sesame seeds at the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk.
Russia is India's second-largest importer of coffee after Italy, buying around 4,000 tons of green coffee beans and up to 10,000 tons of instant coffee a year.