Shipping fruit and vegetables to Russia
Fresh produce reaches Russian buyers only with an unbroken temperature chain, a temperature logger packed in advance and a phytosanitary certificate that names the crop in full.
Shipping fruit and vegetables to Russia — for suppliers
We ship fresh fruit and vegetables to Russia from Turkey, Egypt, Latin America and South Africa. Reefer containers with atmosphere control, fast routes and full phytosanitary documentation for perishables.
We organise the whole chain for you: collection from your premises, the EU export declaration if you do not lodge it yourself (with proof of exit for your VAT zero-rating), international freight, customs clearance in Russia and delivery to your customer’s warehouse. Minimum service fee €200, insurance 0.3 % of the cargo value.
At a glance
From 50 kg
Minimum consignment; air freight has no weight limit.
LCL + FCL
Groupage, full containers, road and air.
Turnkey
Customs clearance and certification in Russia.
24/7
Shipment tracking.
How we ship fruit and vegetables
Reefer containers
Controlled atmosphere and temperature to keep fresh produce in condition.
Fast routes
Priority corridors and fast customs for perishable cargo.
Phyto control
Phytosanitary certificates and support through quarantine control.
Packing and securing fruit and vegetables
Fruit and vegetables travel in ventilated crates on pallets with corner posts, each crop at its own setting: bananas +13 °C, citrus +4…+8, berries +0…+2. Some fruit emits ethylene and speeds up the ripening of its neighbours — these are not combined in one reefer.
Documents and permits
A phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin, a declaration under TR CU 021/2011 and, for certain crops, a Rosselkhoznadzor quarantine permit. Produce from a number of EU countries and the US is under Russian counter-sanctions; from Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa and Latin America import is open provided the quarantine requirements are met.
The costly mistake made most often
A broken temperature regime at transhipment (even a few hours in the sun at the border) means the consignment is written off; the carrier’s fault can only be proven with a temperature logger, which must be packed into the cargo in advance. The second mistake is a phytosanitary certificate with an incomplete name of the crop.
Which mode usually works out best
From Turkey, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan: reefer truck, 3–7 days. From Egypt, Morocco and Latin America: reefer container by sea to St Petersburg or Novorossiysk, 15–35 days. Berries and exotic fruit with a short shelf life by air, 1–3 days — the rate is justified by the price of the produce.
Where fruit and vegetables usually ship from
- ✓Turkey
- ✓Egypt
- ✓Ecuador
- ✓South Africa
- ✓Consignments are collected and consolidated at our warehouses in Vilnius and Warsaw (and in Rotterdam for sea freight).
Services for this cargo
Groupage (LCL)
From 50 kg, weekly departures.
Full container (FCL)
20′ and 40′ HC, from 5 tonnes.
Road freight
LTL and FTL, 3–12 days.
Turnkey customs
Clearance in Russia through a customs representative on the Federal Customs Service register.
Consolidation
Warehouses in Vilnius and Warsaw, plus our Rotterdam hub for sea freight.
Insurance
From 0.3 % of the cargo value.
What shipping costs: indicative rates
| Mode | Rate | Transit time |
|---|---|---|
| Sea · groupage (LCL) | from €200 per piece (from €500 per euro pallet) | about 2 weeks |
| Sea · full container (FCL) | from €1,800 (20′) · from €2,600 (40′) | 6–7 days in transit |
| Road · groupage (LTL) | from €850 for 3 pallets (Warsaw → Moscow) | 4–7 days |
| Road · full truck (FTL) | from €4,500 Warsaw → Moscow · from €6,200 Slovenia → Moscow · from €6,500 Italy → Moscow | 5–10 days |
| Air · urgent | by volumetric weight, minimum order €200 | 2–8 days |
| Sea + rail (China) | on request (calculated by weight and volume) | 23–55 days |
Indicative “turnkey” rates including customs clearance in Russia. Sea via Rotterdam: a full container must be declared to the port 3 days before the vessel sails. The exact rate is calculated for your consignment.
B2B only, sanctions screening first
We work with companies only: shipments from 50 kg (air: no weight limit), minimum service fee €200. We handle only goods that are not subject to EU, UK, Swiss or US sanctions: before we quote, we check the HS code of every item and screen your customer and all parties to the shipment. We reply within 2 business hours.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum consignment for fruit and vegetables?
From 50 kg or 0.1 m³ (groupage, pallets, containers); air freight has no weight limit. The minimum service fee is €200.
How much does it cost to ship fruit and vegetables to Russia?
It depends on weight, volume, country of dispatch and route. Send us the dimensions and weights and we will quote within 2 business hours; the table above gives indicative rates.
What documents are needed for fruit and vegetables?
It depends on the product: a commercial invoice and packing list, and where required certificates, declarations and permits. We give you the full list for your cargo before shipment — see “Documents and permits” above for the typical set.
Do you handle customs and certification in Russia?
Yes. We provide full turnkey customs clearance in Russia and help your customer with certification under EAEU requirements.
Other cargo in “Food and agriculture”
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