Russia lifted a trade ban on poultry imports from another U.S. company on Thursday bringing the total number to 71.

The company is owned by poultry producer Sanderson Farms, the Russian agricultural watchdog, Rosselkhoznadzor, said in a statement.

Russia will retain the ban on a remaining 16 companies that do not meet the country's sanitation requirements.

Russia banned imports of U.S. chlorine-treated poultry as of January 1, citing new safety requirements. U.S. poultry has traditionally accounted for almost 80% of Russia's total poultry imports.

In late June, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and U.S. President Barrack Obama announced that Moscow and Washington had agreed to remove obstacles to U.S. exports to Russia and restart U.S. poultry supplies to Russia.

MOSCOW, August 19 (RIA Novosti)