Russia: Rosselkhoznadzor blocked a large batch of sunflower seeds with Phomopsis

As the department explained, during the inspection of a batch of food sunflower seeds coming from Armenia with a total weight of 15.84 tons, experts identified the presence of the sunflower Phomopsis pathogen (Diaporthe helianthi). The fact of identifying a quarantine object of a dangerous crop disease was confirmed by a phytopathological (mycological) examination, which was carried out at the North Caucasus branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Center for Grain Quality Assessment”. Sunflower Phomopsis is an extremely harmful disease of oilseed crops, in which seed yield losses sometimes exceed 50 percent. In addition, the yield and quality of oil in seeds from infected sunflower decreases, and the germination capacity and weight of the seeds are significantly reduced. The Office of Rosselkhoznadzor made a decision to ban the release of products on the territory of Russia; according to the decision, the cargo will be sent upon return to the place of shipment, that is, ...