Russia bans Turkish tomatoes and peppers due to contaminations

The Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, Rosselkhoznadzor, has made a public announcement stating that imports of tomatoes and peppers of Turkish origin, namely grown and shipped from Izmir and Antalya regions have been banned temporarily, effective on Dec 11th, 2020.

In the statement, the reason for the ban is explained with numerous shipments from Izmir and Antalya regions to the Russian Federation containing high levels of tuta absoluta, frankliniella occidentalis, pepino mosaic virus, Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus, and Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus.

The news has come as a shock to Turkish exporters while they were in high expectations of the export quota to be increased or lifted by Russia.