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Russia tightens strawberry imports as 2026 shipments decline sharply

Turkey remains the primary supplier of strawberries, with berries also imported from Syria and Egypt.

Around 1,400 metric tons of imported strawberries have entered Russia via Krasnodar Krai since the start of 2026. The shipments underwent quarantine and phytosanitary inspections by the Southern Interregional Directorate of Rosselkhoznadzor, Russia's agricultural watchdog.

"Under current legislation, every batch of quarantine-regulated products is subject to phytosanitary control when imported into the Eurasian Economic Union's customs territory. If quarantine pests are detected, the authorized agency may impose an import ban on the shipment and order its decontamination or destruction," the agency stated in its release.

Officials clarified that Turkey is the leading supplier, having delivered 1,300 metric tons to the region. Additional shipments included 53.2 metric tons from the Syrian Arab Republic and 18.8 metric tons from Egypt.

During the same period in 2025, strawberry imports to the region totaled 2,700 metric tons, of which 2,500 metric tons came from Turkey.

Specialists from Rosselkhoznadzor's Southern Interregional Directorate, together with experts from the Krasnodar branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution All-Russian Research Institute for Plant Protection, are conducting routine phytosanitary monitoring of the region's greenhouse complexes.