Starting May 30, Rosselkhoznadzor will impose “temporary restrictions” on the import of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, herbs and strawberries from Armenia to Russia.
“The decision was made in connection with the increasing incidence of violations during the supply of Armenian fruits and vegetables to Russia and in order to ensure phytosanitary safety. The current situation poses a threat to the phytosanitary situation in the country,” the statement said.
From May 21 to 27, Rosselkhoznadzor conducted an inspection of Armenian companies, during which it found violations – “namely, the presence of quarantine facilities in greenhouse complexes.” The agency also claims that a large number of vegetables from Armenia are supplied by companies with “an unknown form of ownership, which evade quarantine and phytosanitary control.”
The Russian supervisory authorities regularly impose a ban on the import of certain products from countries with which Moscow’s relations are deteriorating.
Parliamentary elections will be held in Armenia on June 7. Against this background, as well as because of Armenia’s attempts to get closer to the European Union, relations between Moscow and Yerevan worsened. Russia accuses Pashinyan of taking a pro-Western course and demands that the head of the Russian industrial and construction group Tashir, businessman Samvel Karapetyan, be allowed to participate in the elections. In recent weeks, Moscow began imposing restrictions on imports of products from Armenia, having already banned the import of flowers, mineral water and alcoholic beverages from three producers.