Rosselkhoznadzor Presents a Series of Requirements: Customs Attaché

The issues related to the entry of Armenian trucks at the Upper Lars checkpoint have not yet been resolved, and moreover, the number of trucks returning to Armenia loaded with agricultural products is steadily increasing.

This was stated by Vahan Hakobyan, the customs attaché of the Armenian Embassy in Russia, in an interview with Tert.am, specifying that in the last day alone, the number of returning trucks has increased by 10.

According to him, a total of 60-70 trucks have returned to Armenia, while many others are still in line awaiting the results of inspections to determine whether they can deliver their goods to the Russian market or must bring them back.

“Rosselkhoznadzor has presented a number of requirements regarding the quality characteristics of Armenian products. They claim that our shipments do not meet their quality standards. There have been businesses asserting that there were issues with their products, though many insist that such claims are unfounded,” said Hakobyan.

The customs attaché of the Armenian Embassy in Russia is hopeful that the issue will be resolved soon. He is encouraged by the meeting between Armenian and Russian sides.

According to Vahan Hakobyan, representatives of Rosselkhoznadzor and the Food Safety Inspection Body have already met and are seeking solutions to regulate the situation.

“Rosselkhoznadzor and the FSB need to work on the disputed issues to determine why these problems have arisen and how to resolve them. I hope that in the coming days there will be a change in the situation, work is underway, and new meetings are being planned as a result,” he conveyed.

It should be noted that hundreds of trucks have been unable to cross the Russian border at Lars. Trucks loaded with fruits, vegetables, flowers, fish, and other food products face stringent controls at the phytosanitary checkpoint.

Rosselkhoznadzor has clarified that five cases have been detected regarding the excess of maximum permissible levels of pesticide residues in tomatoes, strawberries, apples, and grapes exported from Armenia, which may indicate violations of pesticide usage regulations by producers.

The Russian state structure has also pointed out that pests have been found in Armenian agricultural products. The FSB considers the significant increase in cases of violations detected in Armenian products imported to Russia as a cause for concern.

The Minister of Economy, Vahan Kerobyan, has announced that discussions regarding the matter will be held soon. Although the minister does not see political elements in the situation at Upper Lars, he expresses concern over the return of Armenian goods.

At the same time, Kerobyan stated that the current situation is a good opportunity for producers to reconsider their export strategies and find new markets.