Russia Bans Imports of Apples, Potatoes, Eggplants, and Dried Fruits from Armenia Over Safety Violations

Russia’s agricultural watchdog, Rosselkhoznadzor, imposed temporary restrictions on imports from Armenia effective June 3. The ban covers pome fruits (apples, pears), eggplants, potatoes, dried fruits, as well as the transit of these goods to other EAEU countries. The official reason cited is the lack of mechanisms to confirm cargo safety and numerous phytosanitary violations. The agency further stated that the situation points to structural problems within Armenia’s Ministry of Economy, which has reportedly failed to handle the responsibilities it inherited after the country’s Ministry of Agriculture was abolished. The restrictions will remain in place until Armenia develops a reliable system to ensure the safety of exported goods.

This is the latest in a series of recent import bans on Armenian products. On June 1, Rosselkhoznadzor restricted supplies of fish, stone fruits, and fresh grapes. On May 30, restrictions were placed on fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and strawberries — with 181 cases of contamination recorded in 2026 alone. Earlier, on May 22, flower imports were banned after 135 cases of contamination were detected among 96.2 million stems. These escalating measures highlight Russia’s growing concerns over the phytosanitary safety of agricultural products arriving from Armenia.