Russia's agricultural safety agency has suspended dairy imports from five Armenian companies, citing health concerns and supply chain failures.
Key facts
- •The ban on Armenian dairy products is scheduled to take effect on Monday, July 27.
- •Rosselkhoznadzor identified five Armenian companies subject to the temporary import restriction.
- •Inspectors reported that milk from infected livestock was used in exported dairy goods.
- •The agency cited ongoing concerns about the safety of milk sourced from individual private farms in Armenia.
- •Russia simultaneously banned produce imports from five exporters based in Uzbekistan due to pest concerns.
Russia’s agricultural safety agency, Rosselkhoznadzor, announced Friday that it will suspend dairy imports from Armenia. The decision follows a weeklong inspection that concluded Tuesday, which the agency claims uncovered health violations and failures in supply chain tracing.
Reasons for the Import Ban
Rosselkhoznadzor stated that its review found milk from infected livestock was used in dairy products exported to Russia. Additionally, inspectors discovered high-fat dairy goods produced using raw materials from third countries, which violates agreements requiring inputs to be sourced domestically or from the Eurasian Economic Union. The agency criticized Armenian authorities for failing to establish a reliable verification system, noting that these issues are similar to violations identified in 2023 and 2024. Rosselkhoznadzor specifically highlighted concerns regarding milk collected from private farms and stated that Armenia’s laboratory infrastructure requires urgent attention.
Additional Import Restrictions
In a separate action, Russia also implemented a ban on imports of tomatoes and other produce from five Uzbekistan-based exporters. This measure, which took effect Thursday, was attributed to alleged pest contamination.
Timeline
- TuesdayA weeklong inspection of Armenian dairy production by Rosselkhoznadzor concluded.
- ThursdayRussia began a ban on produce imports from five Uzbekistan-based exporters.
- FridayRosselkhoznadzor announced the suspension of Armenian dairy imports.
- Monday, July 27The ban on Armenian dairy products is scheduled to take effect.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by The Moscow Times.
