Rosselkhoznadzor to inspect Armenian enterprises

PanARMENIAN.Net - Following negotiations with Armenian Food Safety Inspection Body head Tigran Petrosyan, Russia’s Rosselkhoznadzor will conduct inspections at several Armenian enterprises.

It was noted that, at the request of the Armenian side, Rosselkhoznadzor will inspect enterprises whose exports to Russia had been suspended over suspicions of importing allegedly European-origin falsified fish products, Sputnik Armenia reported.

The agency stated that preliminary checks and analysis of imported rainbow trout materials raised doubts about the origin of the raw materials used for the products.

“The rainbow trout specified in veterinary documents did not correspond morphologically to the imported fish. It had an atypical color for this species and an abnormally large weight exceeding 5.5 kilograms. This indicates that the fish belonged either to another species within the salmon family or to another type of trout, which is a sign of product falsification,” the statement said.

Rosselkhoznadzor added that salmon breeding and distribution are more characteristic of European countries, and such products may fall under the impact of special economic measures and sanctions.

In addition, at the request of the Armenian side and in order to ensure authentic Armenian products that are phytosanitarily safe, Rosselkhoznadzor inspections are also planned at crop-growing enterprises in Armenia.

The service also expressed concern over the growing number of cases involving quarantine pests detected in goods exported from Armenia to Russia intended for Eurasian Economic Union member states.

The agency added that phytosanitary controls on quarantine products exported from Armenia to Russia have already been strengthened by Rosselkhoznadzor’s regional offices, while additional specialists from the agency’s central office are expected to join the effort starting May 19 this year.

Earlier, Rosselkhoznadzor head Sergei Dankvert stated that controls over products exported from Armenia would be tightened.