According to Armenia’s Food Safety Inspection Body, 26 of the country’s 47 flower export companies have been denied licenses in the past six weeks. The move follows joint inspections by Armenian authorities and Russia’s Rosselkhoznadzor, the federal agency overseeing veterinary and plant health standards.
Rosselkhoznadzor cited repeated violations in Armenian flower exports, including several shipments this year found to be infested with Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), a quarantine pest that threatens agriculture. Similar pest issues have also been detected in other Armenian plant exports.
Russian officials have urged Armenia to strengthen inspection and quality control procedures. They have warned that if oversight does not improve, temporary restrictions on Armenian flower imports could be imposed, a step that could strain trade relations between the two countries.