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Russia halts Moroccan tomato shipment after virus detection
Russia’s agricultural control agency, Rosselkhoznadzor, has temporarily blocked the import of a Moroccan tomato shipment after detecting alleged traces of two plant viruses during inspection.
According to Russian media outlet Newkaliningrad, the agency carried out quarantine and phytosanitary checks on three separate tomato consignments weighing a total of 22 tons. The results showed that approximately eight tons of tomatoes originating from Morocco and Turkey contained the tomato brown rugose fruit virus and the pepino mosaic virus.
The findings were reportedly confirmed by laboratory analysis, prompting Russian authorities to prohibit the entry of the affected batch into the country. Rosselkhoznadzor stated that the decision was necessary to prevent the potential spread of quarantine-related plant diseases within the Russian Federation.
Morocco has become one of the world’s top suppliers of fresh tomatoes, climbing from fifth to third place among global exporters over the past two decades. The country now exports around 767,000 tons of tomatoes annually, more than triple the amount recorded in 2005, solidifying its position as a major player in international agricultural trade.
