Ban on wheat supplies from Kazakhstan: when will Russia lift the restrictions

Tengrinews.kz – Russia is considering lifting restrictions on the supply of Kazakh wheat.

This was announced by the head of Rosselkhoznadzor (Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision), Sergey Dankvert, during a meeting with Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture Yermek Kenzhekhanuly, according to the agency’s press service.

According to Dankvert, under guarantees from Kazakhstan’s National Organization for Plant Quarantine and Protection, Rosselkhoznadzor is ready to lift the restrictions - introduced on April 23 this year—on grain exports from the main production regions starting October 20.

Another topic of discussion was compliance with phytosanitary requirements for the supply of Kazakh fruit and vegetable products to Russia. The Russian side noted numerous cases in which goods were not presented to Rosselkhoznadzor inspectors for inspection at their destinations, violating EAEU (Eurasian Economic Union) plant quarantine regulations.

In addition, Rosselkhoznadzor reported an increase in cases of re-export of sanctioned products through Kazakhstan. Despite the use of electronic navigation seals, there have been instances of “grey” cargo being imported across the Russian border.

At the same time, both sides agreed to take prompt measures to ensure phytosanitary safety and to prevent violations in mutual trade.

It is worth recalling that in 2024, Rosselkhoznadzor had already appealed to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture with a request to suspend the issuance of phytosanitary certificates for grain and its processed products, tomatoes and peppers, as well as sunflower seeds exported to Russia. In response, the Kazakh side requested that Russia provide documented evidence of the reported violations.