Civilnet
By Alexander Pracht
Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance announced Monday 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.
The agency warned that if the situation is not brought under control and further cases of infestation are recorded, Russia will suspend all floral imports from Armenia. This would include shipments accompanied by Armenian phytosanitary certificates issued via third countries.
According to trade data, total exports from Armenia’s floriculture industry to Russia, including not just cut flowers but also decorative greenery, and flower buds, amounted to $6.6 million in the first half of last year.
Experts have long argued that Russia uses import restrictions on Armenian and other foreign goods as a tool of political leverage. Armenian agricultural exports, particularly food products, have faced recurring bans in recent years. Most recently, last July, Russia reported 98 cases of pesticide and agrochemical residues exceeding permissible levels in Armenian fruit and vegetables, prompting a suspension of shipments.
However, the Russian sanitary agency later stated it was open to resuming and even expanding imports from Armenia. “We are interested in importing authentic products of verified Armenian origin. A prerequisite for the import of such goods is their quality, safety, and the exporters’ compliance with Russia’s established requirements,” the agency said in a statement. Restrictions were eventually lifted for some Armenian exporting companies that met these standards.
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