As of June 30, 2025, the import of Dutch seed and planting material from protected cultivation into Russia will no longer be permitted. This has been announced by the directorate of Rosselkhoznadzor in the Kaliningrad region. The measure is a tightening of previous restrictions and now also bans re-export via third countries.
Rosselkhoznadzor, the Russian phytosanitary authority, states that the decision was made to protect the phytosanitary status of the Russian Federation and member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The decision was prompted by repeated detections of quarantine organisms — including dodder (Cuscuta spp.) and Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande) — in consignments originating from the Netherlands.
Shipments dispatched prior to the enforcement date of June 30, 2025, will still be allowed entry, provided they are accompanied by laboratory test results confirming the absence of the specified organisms.
Response from the Netherlands
Industry association Plantum explains that the newly announced ban is a tightening of an earlier measure. Elsbeth Ketting of Plantum clarifies: "The Russian ban on the import of seeds and seedlings from the Netherlands, which was announced yesterday, is in fact an extension of the export ban on seeds and young plants from the Netherlands to Russia that has been in effect since November 2023."
The tightened measure means that not only is direct export from the Netherlands prohibited, but exports of Dutch-origin propagation material from other countries to Russia are now also banned. This effectively closes the possibility of rerouting via third countries, regardless of where logistical handling or packaging takes place.
No concrete figures are available on the volume of exports affected, as there is no detailed data on the specific export flows of individual companies. The impact will vary by sector.
"Ornamental horticulture was already on the EU sanctions list, so for that sector, this won't represent a major shift. However, vegetable seed companies were still allowed to export to Russia from countries other than the Netherlands, and those businesses are likely to feel the effects of this new restriction," Plantum expects.