Georgia to return over 470 thousand kg of potatoes to Armenia

Georgia will return over 470 thousand kg of potatoes to Armenia. According to the Revenue Service of Georgian Finance Ministry, during the primary inspection of a cargo at the Sadakhlo checkpoint, signs of potato contamination with brown rot and и Synchytrium endobioticum microorganisms were revealed, Rosbalt new agency reported.

Potato samples were sent to a special laboratory for testing. As a result, contamination of 114,500 kg of potato with brown rot disease was confirmed, while samples of remaining 356,200 kg are still being examined.

The correspondent of Aysor.am asked the State Food Safety Service (SFSS) of Agriculture Ministry to provide an explanation.

‘The cargo underwent a check at the Armenian checkpoint, but no suspicious microorganisms were found on potatoes,” SFSS spokeswoman Armine Sukiasian said, adding that the information about sending samples for testing is doubtful. In her words, the information does not correspond to reality.

“The head of the SFSS went to Georgia on Tuesday to find out what happened. He will meet with representatives of the respective structure to discuss the problem,” she noted.

Cases of potato contamination with Synchytrium endobioticum were recorded in Krasnoselsk village of Gegharkunik province, but potatoes were not exported from that village to Georgia, Armine Sukiasian said.