Russia Targets Mineral Water in Latest Trade Restriction Against Armenia

**Russia Targets Mineral Water in Latest Trade Restriction Against Armenia** Rospotrebnadzor, Russia’s federal consumer protection agency, announced on 14 October 2024 that it had suspended all new imports and wholesale distribution of Jermuk mineral water produced by the Jermuk Group in Armenia. The measure took effect immediately, affecting shipments already en route to Russian distribution centers. The decision was communicated through an official statement posted on the agency’s website and confirmed in a briefing by Rospotrebnadzor head Anna Popova. Popova stated that laboratory tests conducted at the agency’s central laboratory in Moscow had detected “deviations from established microbiological and chemical safety indicators” in samples taken from recent consignments. She added that the suspension would remain in place “until the Armenian producer provides comprehensive documentation confirming compliance with Eurasian Economic Union technical regulations.” **The Incident** Rospotrebnadzor inspectors first flagged the Jermuk shipments during routine border checks at the Upper Lars crossing between Georgia and Russia in early October. Subsequent testing of retained samples revealed levels of certain mineral salts and bacterial colony counts that exceeded limits set by Technical Regulation TR TS 021/2011 on food safety. The agency did not disclose the precise values but noted that similar concerns had prompted temporary restrictions on other Armenian and Georgian beverages in prior years. Jermuk Group issued a brief statement through its Yerevan headquarters rejecting the findings. Company spokesperson Armen Grigoryan said the firm maintains ISO 22000 and HACCP certification and had passed independent audits by European laboratories in 2023. Grigoryan added that the company had requested detailed test protocols from Rospotrebnadzor to conduct its own verification. **Background** Russia remains Armenia’s largest trading partner, absorbing roughly 30 percent of Armenian exports in 2023 according to data from the Eurasian Economic Commission. Mineral water and soft drinks constitute a notable share of non-ferrous metal and agricultural shipments. Jermuk, sourced from the mineral springs in the Vayots Dzor region, has been marketed in Russia since the Soviet period and held an estimated 8 percent share of the Russian imported mineral-water segment prior to the suspension. Trade relations between the two countries have been governed by the Eurasian Economic Union agreement since 2015, which provides for free movement of goods subject to common sanitary and phytosanitary standards. However, Russia has periodically applied non-tariff measures on Armenian products. In 2020 and 2022, Rospotrebnadzor imposed temporary bans on certain Armenian dairy and confectionery items citing analogous laboratory findings. Those measures were lifted after bilateral technical consultations. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has publicly discussed the need to diversify export markets toward the European Union and Middle East following strains in bilateral political ties over regional security issues. Official Armenian export statistics for the first half of 2024 show a 12 percent year-on-year decline in shipments of beverages to Russia. **Response** The Armenian Ministry of Economy stated that it had requested urgent consultations under the EAEU dispute-settlement mechanism. Deputy Minister Vahe Hovhannisyan told reporters in Yerevan that the ministry viewed the suspension as “disproportionate” and inconsistent with prior inspection results conducted jointly by Russian and Armenian specialists in 2023. On the Russian side, the Ministry of Economic Development confirmed that it had received the Rospotrebnadzor notification and would participate in any technical working group. A ministry spokesperson declined to comment on whether the measure was linked to broader political developments. Retail chains in Moscow and St. Petersburg reported that existing stock of Jermuk would remain on shelves until sell-through, as the suspension applies only to new deliveries. Several distributors indicated they were shifting orders to alternative suppliers from Georgia and Central Asia. **Implications** The suspension adds to a pattern of regulatory actions that have affected bilateral trade volumes in recent years. Economists at the Gaidar Institute in Moscow estimate that a prolonged restriction could reduce Armenia’s beverage exports to Russia by approximately $15–20 million annually, a modest but visible share of total trade. Armenian producers have begun exploring certification pathways for the EU market under the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, though logistics costs remain higher. Further technical meetings between Rospotrebnadzor and Armenian sanitary authorities are scheduled for late October. Additional updates will be provided as the consultation process progresses.

This is Irina Volkov for Global1 News, reporting from Moscow. 🇷🇺