Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance announced this week that it will impose a temporary ban on flower imports from Armenia starting June 16 due to alleged repeated detections of quarantine pests in shipments.
The agency reported multiple cases of high-risk pests found in floral products imported from Armenia, stating that these pests pose a serious threat to Russia's floriculture and agriculture.
Armenia exported 52 million flowers to Russia this year so far, a 49.7% surge compared to the same period in 2024. As the volume of floral exports has grown, so too has the frequency of quarantine pest detections, the agency said in its statement.
It also expressed concerns over what it described as Armenia's ineffective plant health inspection system, which it says has contributed to the growing phytosanitary risks. An official letter has been sent to the Armenian authorities urging them to implement immediate measures to tighten export controls.
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