In early January 2026, inspections at the Kyrgyzstan–Kazakhstan border were intensified, with authorities instructing that agricultural shipments failing to meet Eurasian Economic Union standards be blocked from entry. The checks focused on preventing the movement of high-risk plant products that pose phytosanitary concerns.
As a result of these measures, on 7 January, Kyrgyzstan returned a 44.2-tonne shipment of potatoes to Russia at the Ak-Tilek border crossing. The cargo lacked mandatory phytosanitary documentation, which is required for high-risk agricultural products.
Under EAEU rules, consignments that do not comply with quarantine requirements are subject to return, treatment, or destruction. In this case, the entire shipment was sent back to the exporter.
Source: economist.kg
