ArmInfo.Armenian agricultural producers are facing a severe crisis due to the closure of the Russian market and the lack of viable alternatives, despite assurances of from the Armenian authorities, according to analyst Tigran Dumikyan.
"Following restrictions on Armenian agricultural products' access to the Russian market, local exporting producers are at risk of irreversible economic losses. However, the real problem lies not only in the closure of the Russian market, but also in the catastrophic gap between the current authorities' long-standing statements about market diversification and the actual steps taken. According to official data from the Food Safety Inspectorate of Armenia for June 2026, alternative export routes have not been established in practice, and the authorities' statements about entering the European Union market were simply the result of political populism and illusions detached from reality," Dumikyan wrote on his Facebook page.
According to him, a comparison of data from June reveals the true scale of the crisis in the sector. The expert noted that while total exports reached 31,738 tons in June 2025, they plummeted to 8,095 tons in June 2026. "A decline of approximately 23,643 tons in harvest exports has been recorded, representing a 74.5% decrease. The statistics for Russia are even more shocking. In June 2025, approximately 27,937 tons of fruits and vegetables, primarily apricots, tomatoes, peppers, and cherries, which are in high demand, were exported to the Russian Federation, while in June 2026, these volumes amounted to only 110.4 tons, primarily mulberries and apples. Exports to Russia fell by more than 27,826 tons, representing a 99.6% decrease, proving that, despite various assurances from political authorities, the market for Armenian produce remains virtually closed," he stated.
He then touched on the flower export sector, noting that this industry, which had experienced dynamic development in recent years, is also paralyzed. To illustrate this, he cited statistics, noting that while 5,784,071 flowers were exported to the Russian Federation in June 2025, there were no exports to Russia in monetary terms in June 2026. Overall, flower exports this year decreased by approximately 50.3% compared to the same period last year.
"Regarding the European direction, according to official data from the Armenian government, there are no practical results yet. The inability to enter the EU market is due to several systemic issues, which the state has not taken steps to address. Strict phytosanitary and certification standards, the lack of EU-recognized laboratory and certification infrastructure, logistical problems, and the extremely high cost of freight transportation have effectively created insurmountable barriers. Small and medium-sized farmers have not received state support for obtaining the international certificates required by the EU, which has deprived them of competitiveness," he continued.
Dumikyan believes dent that such a sharp decline in fruit, vegetable, and flower exports not only means economic losses amounting to tens of millions of dollars but also a direct threat of bankruptcy for hundreds of greenhouse farms, farmers, and logistics companies. The analyst believes that when producers are deprived of the opportunity to sell the fruits of their labor, a process of desertification of rural areas and the abandonment of agricultural lands begins. "Armenian agriculture is losing its potential every day, and the authorities continue to make meaningless statements, leaving farmers alone with their problems," he concluded.
Recall, Russia began imposing large-scale restrictions on agricultural imports from Armenia in April of this year. Effective June 12, 2026, Rosselkhoznadzor (Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance) completely banned the import of all "quarantine products" from Armenia into Russia, as well as the transit through Russian territory. The ban covers approximately 130 EAEU goods, including virtually all fruits, vegetables, nuts, berries, herbs, and flowers. Furthermore, effective June 26, 2026, the agency suspended the certification and import of all fish products from all Armenian fisheries.
