Armenia and Russia agreed to resolve the situation caused by the ban on imports of Armenian dairy products to the Russian Federation stage-by-stage, the Russian government’s Rosselkhoznadzor agriculture watchdog said.
Earlier Rosselkhoznadzor asked Armenian companies to suspend export of dairy products to Russia from April 5, 2023. The formal reason for the ban is the use of Iranian milk (banned in Russia) by Armenian dairy companies. It also cited lack of “proper oversight” by relevant Armenian authorities due to which low-quality and unsafe products could be exported to Russia.
On April 17, the Armenian side initiated negotiations between the head of Rosselkhoznadzor Sergey Dankvert and the head of the Armenian Food Safety Inspection Authority Armen Hayrapetyan, with the participation of a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow.
Hayrapetyan said he had carefully studied Rosselkhoznadzor's inspection report, which had revealed a number of critical problems in controlling the supply of dairy products to Russia.
Shortcomings in the supervision system allowed Armenian companies to export products made of raw Iranian milk, banned in Russia. As a result, Armenia increased its butter exports tenfold in 2022. According to Hayrapetyan, such schemes violate the competitive environment not only in the Russian market, but also imbalance the economic activity of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).
Dankvert stressed that Russia is fully provided with dairy products, which are produced in all regions of the country and part of them are exported to foreign markets, and may be interested in the import of authentic products, traditional for the Armenian cuisine and made exclusively from Armenian raw materials.
"Armenia will check its dairy processing companies and will provide the Russian watchdog with the lists of enterprises capable of complying with Russian requirements. Rosselkhoznadzor will inspect them and, based on the results, will determine the companies which would be allowed to sell their goods in Russia.' Rosselkhoznadzor said in a statement, ARKA reports.
