Flowers from Kazakhstan banned in Russia

The Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) will temporarily ban the import of cut flowers and buds from Kazakhstan, the Russian watchdog said.

The flowers imported to Russia are accompanied by phytosanitary certificates that Kazakhstan issues mainly for products originating from unfriendly countries. Kazakhstan re-exports most of the flowers from the Netherlands, Poland and Belgium.

"However, the concerned authorities of these countries have been failing to ensure an adequate safety control over their products," the statement reads.

The decision to temporarily ban the import was also driven by 43 identified cases of the western flower thrip. Potential economic damage from this pest is estimated at over 11.5 bln rubles.

Earlier, Russia temporarily banned the import of tomatoes, peppers, melons, wheat, flax seeds and lentils from Kazakhstan.