On March 20, 2026, Russian phytosanitary inspectors identified a quarantine pest in a 20-tonne consignment of fresh tomatoes from Turkey at the port of Tuapse. Laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of the South American tomato leafminer (Tuta absoluta).
The shipment was accompanied by a valid phytosanitary certificate, but its release was banned due to the detection. The cargo was sent for phytosanitary treatment at the owner's request. This marks the second such interception in imported tomatoes so far in 2026.
As of March 24, Russia had imported 770 tomato consignments totaling 13,800 tonnes. Quarantine organisms were detected in seven shipments (108.4 tonnes). In addition to Tuta absoluta, inspectors also identified Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV). Affected consignments were either returned, destroyed, or treated.
In a separate case on March 26, a 16-tonne shipment of tomatoes from Kazakhstan was rejected in the Altai region after testing positive for ToBRFV. The infected consignment was returned to the country of origin.
This is the first recorded detection of ToBRFV in imported tomatoes in the Altai region in 2026.
Source: fsvps.gov.ru
