Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) announced that starting June 3, 2026, it will impose restrictions on the import of pome fruits, eggplants, potatoes, and dried fruits from Armenia.
The agency also introduced a ban on the transit of these products through Russia to other member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). According to Rosselkhoznadzor, the measure is linked to the absence of mechanisms confirming the delivery of quarantined products to the destination countries. The restrictions will remain in place until a procedure ensuring the safety and traceability of shipments is established.
Rosselkhoznadzor stated that the latest measures “once again confirm that Armenia’s Ministry of Economy faces structural problems and is failing to effectively exercise its authority in overseeing agricultural producers.”
The agency recalled that Armenia dissolved its Ministry of Agriculture in 2019 as part of a government restructuring, transferring its responsibilities to the Ministry of Economy. The ministry currently oversees agricultural policy, agro-processing, livestock production, veterinary services, crop cultivation, pesticide and agrochemical regulation, organic farming, agricultural cooperatives, and fisheries.
The new restrictions follow a series of measures introduced by Russia in recent days. On May 30, Rosselkhoznadzor imposed temporary restrictions on imports of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, leafy greens, and strawberries from Armenia.
Beginning June 2, similar restrictions were extended to cherries, sour cherries, apricots, peaches, plums, nectarines, and grapes. The agency also instructed Armenia to suspend veterinary certification for live fish and fish products destined for the Russian market from all Armenian companies except two enterprises that successfully passed Russian inspections.
The restrictions represent a significant escalation in trade limitations affecting Armenian agricultural exports to Russia, one of the country’s largest export markets.
