Russia partially bans fruit and vegetable imports from Azerbaijan

Russia has banned the import of fruit and vegetables by airline passengers travelling from Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Fruit and vegetables, which are cheap and plentiful in Central Asia and the South Caucasus, are frequently brought back to Russia by travellers to these countries.

It is common in late summer and autumn to see passengers boarding flights to Russia with watermelons or baskets of grapes and other fruits among their hand luggage.

The ban was announced yesterday April 16 by Rosselkhoznadzor. The Russian agency said the decision was due to the increasing number of cases of insects and other quarantined products accidentally brought in from the three countries.


/APA/