Russia suspected Armenia of re-exporting floral products and complained about the frequent detection of quarantine facilities in it. The Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) issued a corresponding statement last Tuesday, warning Armenian partners about a possible ban on the import of flowers from third countries. Restrictive measures may come into force as early as the middle of this month.
"In the absence of the necessary response measures and the continuation of the identification of quarantine facilities, the Rosselkhoznadzor will be forced to introduce temporary restrictions on the import of flower products from June 16, 2025 to Russia is accompanied by Armenian phytosanitary certificates from third countries," the agency said.
According to the Rosselkhoznadzor, in 2025, the import of cut flowers from Armenia has increased dramatically. To date, 52 million units of these products have been controlled, which is 49.7% more than in the same period of 2024, when 34.7 million units were imported.
As a result, 13 cases of infection of flowers with Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande) were detected.
"In addition, there have been repeated cases of detection of quarantine objects in other types of plant products, which indicates an inefficient control system for exported products on the part of Armenia," the federal service stressed.
As a result, the Russian side sent a letter to the Food Safety Inspection Body of Armenia with a request to take comprehensive measures and strengthen control over the goods supplied.
The reaction of the relevant department of the Transcaucasian republic was not long in coming. In response to a request from local media to comment on the situation, the press service of the inspection body pointed out that inspections had already begun in connection with the Rosselkhoznadzor's statement. At the same time, the IOBPP refuted that part of the claims of the Russian partners, which refers to "the import of floral products into the Russian Federation accompanied by Armenian phytosanitary certificates from third countries."
"Flowers are grown exclusively on the territory of Armenia, in greenhouses. We have no need to import flowers from third countries, as the volume of products of plant origin of local production for export to Russia is quite enough," said Anush Harutyunyan, press secretary of the IOBPP.
Flowers imported from Armenia to Russia from third countries are not being re-exported, they stressed, suggesting that "the problem is actually caused by a sharp increase in the volume of flower exports from Armenia to Russia."
"On June 3, we received a corresponding letter from the Russian side. They believe that flowers are imported to Armenia from third countries, which are then exported to Russia with an Armenian certificate. However, this does not correspond to reality, since the volumes of flowers imported to Armenia are not so large that we can re-export them. These flowers come true in Armenia. At the same time, Armenia's capabilities and capacities allow us to export to Russia has the number of flowers mentioned in the (Rosselkhoznadzor) statement," Harutyunyan said in an interview with the state agency "Armenpress".
As for the infection indicated by the Russian side in the exported flowers, the inspection body of the republic has already begun to study the problem in order to understand what exactly was detected and in which batches. Upon completion of laboratory studies, this issue will definitely be discussed with the Russian side in order to resolve it as soon as possible.
"Studies are being conducted and negotiations are underway. We are discussing and trying to resolve this issue with the Russian side. At the end of the process, we will provide additional information about this," the IOBPP concluded.
The Ministry of Economy of Armenia, in turn, assured that they are monitoring the development of the situation and will make their own statement after the publication of the conclusion of the inspection body of the country.
Armenian flower producers, after a warning from the Russian regulator, shared their assessment of the situation, noting that a "shout" from Moscow was expected, given that Russia "will gradually suspend the import of products that it can produce at home."
At the same time, there is an opinion that the decision on a possible ban on the alleged re-export of flowers may have a positive impact on Armenia, as it will "give impetus" to the development of greenhouses in the republic, as local producers will gain competitive advantages. However, this will create problems for a significant part of exporters, some of whom will be forced to look for new markets.
Armenian experts also state that greenhouse products in the Russian Federation are in great demand, and many farms there are switching from growing vegetables and fruits to producing flowers.
Chairman of the Greenhouse Association NGO Artavazd Khachatryan believes that a possible ban by the Rosselkhoznadzor will ultimately have a positive impact on Armenia. Restrictions on the export/ re-export of flowers from the country to the Russian market, whether they are relatively short or longer in time, will create conditions for the development of local production.
"This will help the development of agriculture and greenhouses, floriculture and trade. If supply chains are established, appropriate export conditions are created, then volumes will grow. There are other opportunities in Armenia, including suitable bioclimatic conditions," the expert said in an interview with the news portal News.am .
As of March this year, Russian floriculture has doubled over the past nine years. Rosselkhoznadzor experts predict the annual growth of the industry by 4% due to the launch of new greenhouse complexes and the full capacity of existing projects. The main crops grown in domestic greenhouse complexes are roses, tulips, chrysanthemums, gerberas, lilies. The most promising areas for investment are the cultivation of roses and tulips. According to the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, the production of roses exceeds 180 million pieces per year of cut flowers.
The main production of flowers is concentrated in the subjects of the Central Federal District (35%), the Volga Federal District (33%), the Northwestern Federal District (12.3%), the Southern Federal District (10.8%). Currently, on the territory of Russia, according to the management bodies of the agro-industrial entities, there are more than 135 greenhouse enterprises engaged in growing flowers in protected soil on a total area of 325 hectares.
Some Armenian commentators are inclined to interpret every warning statement of the Rosselkhoznadzor as confirmation of a new aggravation in relations between Moscow and Yerevan. So, at the end of November 2023, a few days after the Armenian leadership boycotted the summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization in Minsk (held on November 23), the Russian regulator expressed concern about the violations that had become more frequent at that time in the supply of plant products from the Transcaucasian republic.
During the incomplete year 2023, the territorial administrations of the Rosselkhoznadzor identified 72 cases of detections of quarantine pests in flower and fruit and vegetable products from Armenia.
"At the same time, a sharp increase in violations was recorded in November — only from November 24 to November 26, 36 facts of importation into Russia of contaminated flowers, cucumbers, dried fruits, grapes, cauliflower, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, apples, pears, accompanied by phytosanitary certificates issued by the Food Safety Inspection Body of the Republic of Armenia. In plant products, objects that are quarantined for the EAEU member states were identified: eastern fruitworm (Grapholita molesta busck), Pepino mosaic virus, Tomato brown rugose fruit virus, Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis Pergand)," the federal service informed then.
These and other facts testified "to a decrease in control by the Food Safety Inspection Body of Armenia" and created "a threat to the phytosanitary well-being of Russia," the statement said. Rosselkhoznadzor.
What kind of "political subtext", in the understanding of the Armenian would-be conspiracy theorists, is present this time in the warning received from Moscow about the possible introduction of a ban on the supply of floral products from the republic and what kind of "dissatisfaction" of the Russian partners with the Armenian authorities is not specified. It only reminds of the continuing high degree of mutual distrust and suspicion in the current Armenian-Russian relations and "Moscow's growing mood to punish Yerevan" for its flirtations with the West. Moreover, not only flowers were allegedly chosen as the "target". So, in recent years, problems have plagued not only export-oriented local flower producers, but also suppliers of cognac and other alcoholic beverages to the Russian market.
It is safe to assume that the search for some political conspiracies in the statements of the Rosselkhoznadzor takes the quality problem of exported/re-exported goods to a completely different plane. In it, some pro-Western commentators in They feel especially comfortable, given, among other things, the sources of their money allowance.
By the way, on the same day, June 3, the Rosselkhoznadzor drew attention to the "increase in the supply of fruit and vegetable products from Azerbaijan to Russia, accompanied by insufficient security measures." The Federal Service expressed concern about "frequent cases of violations of quarantine phytosanitary requirements of the EAEU when delivering quarantined goods to the territory of Russia from the republic and the identification of repeated cases of specifying false information in phytosanitary documents." Only in May 2025, 21 cases of detection of quarantine facilities for the EAEU member states were identified. This confirms the insufficient effectiveness of the Azerbaijani system for ensuring phytosanitary security supplied to Russia products, the regulator indicated.
In accordance with the provisions of international standards on phytosanitary measures, the Rosselkhoznadzor informed the Azerbaijani side of all violations and requested the Food Safety Agency of Azerbaijan to conduct an official investigation into these facts and take measures to ensure compliance with international and Russian phytosanitary requirements for the supply of quarantined products from the republic to Russia.