Following farmers' protests, Armenian authorities have recommended selling tomatoes on the domestic market.

A representative of the Armenian Ministry of Economy met with farmers in the village of Arshaluys in the Armavir region, who blocked the road the day before due to the lack of a market for tomatoes following Russia's import ban. He recommended that they sell their harvest at special markets in Yerevan. The farmers countered that the journey takes a long time, and prices are low due to the import of tomatoes from Iran.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot," Rosselkhoznadzor (Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance) imposed temporary restrictions on the import of flowers from Armenia starting May 22, 2026, and on fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, herbs, and strawberries starting May 30. Rospotrebnadzor explained the suspension of all imports of Armenian mineral water "Jermuk" to Russia as a "temporary sanitary measure" due to detected excess chemical content. Rosselkhoznadzor also announced a ban on the import of certain cognacs and wines to Russia. Products from Armenia do not comply with the phytosanitary requirements of the Eurasian Economic Union and Russia, Rosselkhoznadzor stated, questioning the authority of the Armenian Ministry of Economy, which regulates the industry. Pashinyan called such bans common practice, while opposition representatives saw a political subtext in Russia's actions.

On May 29, farmers protested in the Armavir region. Residents of the village of Arshaluys blocked the Yerevan-Armavir road. The reason for the protest was problems with the export of tomatoes and agricultural products, writes News.Am.

"We work all year to earn income this spring, but we can't export tomatoes or other agricultural products. We take out loans, cultivate the land, buy chemicals, pay workers' salaries, and incur many other expenses, but we can't sell the harvest. As a result, the loans remain on our shoulders, and we are unable to repay them," the protesters were quoted as saying in the publication.

Following negotiations with community police and patrol officers, the road was reopened. The villagers stated that if the problem is not resolved, they will resort to further protests, the publication states.

Today, it was reported that Deputy Minister of Economy of Armenia Arman Khojoyan met with farmers in the village of Arshaluys in the Armavir region. Those gathered stated that imported tomatoes had driven down market prices and made production unprofitable, Sputnik Armenia reports.

In response, the deputy minister stated that since the beginning of the year, Armenia has not issued a single permit for duty-free imports of Iranian tomatoes: all products from Iran are imported with customs duties paid, and since the beginning of the year, Iranian tomato imports have decreased by 1,700 tons compared to last year, amounting to approximately 3,400 tons.

Farmers noted that even taking duties into account, Iranian tomatoes are sold wholesale for 270-280 drams (US$0.73-0.76) per kilogram, while the cost of local produce reaches 340-350 drams. According to the Ministry of Economy, farmers' markets, which the Yerevan Municipality will open on June 5, could be a solution to this problem. The central site will be located near the Hrazdan stadium, and additional retail outlets will be located in various districts of the capital.

"Tomatoes are sold in stores for 700 to 1800 drams (1.9 to 4.9 US dollars) per kilogram. We have practically never seen prices below 500 drams (1.36 US dollars). If you sell them for 500 drams or a little more, I think the residents of Yerevan will be happy to buy your products," Khojoyan said.

To this, Khojoyan responded that the current situation requires additional efforts from all market participants, especially given the restrictions on the export of Armenian products to Russia.

Another farmer indicated that his harvest is about a ton and expressed doubt that such a volume could be sold on the market, according to the publication.

News.Am published a video today of a conversation with a greenhouse owner, who stated that his tomato harvest is about 4-5 tons and is having problems selling the harvest.

Russia imposed restrictions on the import of flowers and mineral water as Armenian political forces prepare for the parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7. Meanwhile, the European Political Community Summit and the Armenia-EU Summit were held in Yerevan in early May. In this regard, Russian pro-government media accused Armenia of "betrayal" and an anti-Russian course, and Vladimir Putin noted that the Armenian authorities should decide as soon as possible on whether to join the EU or the EAEU. Putin previously stated that combining Armenia's course toward rapprochement with the EU and membership in the Eurasian Economic Union is "impossible by definition," and noted that Moscow "would like" all pro-Russian political forces to participate in the parliamentary elections in Armenia.

The June parliamentary elections in Armenia will effectively be a referendum on the future of Nikol Pashinyan's government and the country's foreign policy. At stake is the preservation of power by the current team or its transition to the opposition, which promises to reconsider the key decisions of recent years, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "2026 Elections to the National Assembly (Parliament) of Armenia". Samvel Karapetyan's "Strong Armenia", along with Robert Kocharyan's "Armenia" bloc and Gagik Tsarukyan's "Prosperous Armenia" party, is one of the most pro-Russian parties in the parliamentary elections of Armenia. The Kremlinis betting on Karapetyan, but by law he cannot participate in the elections, Armenian political scientists pointed out earlier.

As a reminder, in August 2025, hundreds of trucks carrying grapes, plums, and peaches were not allowed to enter Russia at the Upper Lars checkpoint and were forced to return to Armenia. This problem is political in nature, said opposition MP Garnik Danielyan.