Russia has raised concerns over a sharp rise in floral imports from Armenia, suspecting that Armenia may be re-exporting flowers from third countries under its own name.
The Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) issued a formal warning last Tuesday, citing repeated detections of quarantine-related violations in Armenian flower shipments.
The Russian watchdog stated that, unless Armenia takes corrective actions, temporary restrictions on the import of floral products accompanied by Armenian phytosanitary certificates may take effect starting June 16, 2025. These restrictions would apply specifically to flowers originating from third-party countries but routed through Armenia.
According to Rosselkhoznadzor, Armenia’s flower exports to Russia have surged significantly this year. So far in 2025, over 52 million cut flowers have entered Russia from Armenia — a nearly 50% increase compared to 34.7 million units during the same period in 2024.
The agency emphasized the need for compliance with plant health regulations to prevent the introduction of harmful pests and diseases via the floral supply chain.
