Russia to restrict Armenian dairy imports amid widening trade tensions

(Horizon Media / YEREVAN) – Russia will suspend imports of dairy products from Armenia beginning July 27 following inspections that Moscow says uncovered serious violations at Armenian processing facilities.

Rosselkhoznadzor, Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, said its inspectors visited Armenian dairy enterprises from July 14 to 21 and identified deficiencies in product traceability, veterinary documentation, sanitary inspections, risk management and production controls. The agency also alleged that milk from infected livestock and raw materials originating outside Armenia or the Eurasian Economic Union had been used in products intended for Russia.

The decision echoes a similar nationwide restriction imposed in April 2023, when Russia questioned Armenia’s ability to guarantee the safety of its dairy exports and raised concerns about the use of Iranian raw materials. That dispute was subsequently addressed in stages, with imports from some Armenian producers later restored.

The new measure also comes amid a broader wave of Russian restrictions on Armenian goods. In recent months, Moscow has limited imports of Armenian fruits, vegetables, flowers, fish, mineral water, wine and brandy, citing phytosanitary and consumer-safety concerns.

Although Russian authorities deny that the restrictions are politically motivated, their timing has fuelled suspicions that trade is being used as leverage as Armenia deepens relations with the European Union and the United States. The restrictions intensified before Armenia’s June parliamentary elections and have continued despite subsequent talks between Yerevan and Moscow. Russia remains Armenia’s largest trading partner, accounting for approximately 35 per cent of its foreign trade, leaving Armenian exporters particularly vulnerable to disruptions in the Russian market.