A new batch of wheat is being imported into Armenia from Russia through Azerbaijani territory. According to Oblvesti.ru, the train departed from the Gmelinskaya station in Russia’s Volgograd region and consists of eight wagons.
By the end of the year, a total of 30 wagons carrying over 2,000 tons of grain are expected to arrive via this route.
Amid ongoing public concerns over grain imports, Armenia’s Food Safety Inspection Body (FSIB) released detailed information on testing procedures, stating it has properly fulfilled its duties, sampling both Russian and Kazakh grain shipments.
The FSIB addressed claims made on social media, particularly by journalist Nairi Hokhikyan, who questioned the origin and safety of Kazakh wheat. The agency clarified:
- Phytosanitary tests were conducted in accordance with Eurasian Economic Union regulations: no quarantine pests were found.
- Safety tests covered toxic elements, pesticides, mycotoxins, and radioactivity: no exceedances of permissible levels were recorded.
- Quality tests (protein, gluten, moisture, color, odor) classified the Russian sample as Grade 2 wheat and the Kazakh sample as Grade 3, according to GOST 9353-2016.
The agency criticized attempts to alarm the public with unverified claims about “alpha toxins” or links to nuclear testing areas, calling such statements manipulative and baseless.
The FSIB also published lab protocols to support its findings.
In November, Armenia imported Russian wheat via Azerbaijan for the first time in 35 years. Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan later confirmed more shipments are planned through this route.
