Ireland's veterinary authorities announced on Saturday they were recalling pork from sale after the discovery of cancer-inducing chemicals in Irish pork. The European Union admitted earlier on Monday that Russia may be among the countries that imported Irish pork contaminated with toxic dioxins.
"We have held talks with Irish experts today and decided to suspend the issuing of permissions for pork imports from the country," Rosselkhoznadzor press secretary Alexei Alexeyenko said.
The Irish government has already recalled and ordered the destruction of all pork products produced since 1 September, and has ordered the culling of 100,000 pigs.
EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou previously said that potentially contaminated meat may have been sent to Belgium, Britain, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Sweden.
Tainted meat may also have been sent to non-EU members Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and the United States.
Ireland is a major exporter of pork, with 129,000 metric tons, worth 368 million euros (466 million dollars), sold abroad last year.
