Kyrgyzstan returns 14 tons of melons to Uzbekistan due to phytosanitary violations

Kyrgyz authorities have returned a shipment of 14 tons of melons to Uzbekistan due to phytosanitary violations, specifically the use of straw bedding during transportation.

Inspectors from the Jalal-Abad Territorial Department of the Agency for Chemicalization, Plant Protection, and Quarantine detected the violation at the Ken-Sai border checkpoint.

According to Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Agriculture, a truck carrying the melons from Uzbekistan to the Jalal-Abad region was found to be using straw as bedding — a detail that was not disclosed in the phytosanitary certificate.

Straw is considered a high-risk phytosanitary material, as it may contain seeds of quarantine weeds such as ragweed, knapweed, and dodder. Its import requires explicit documentation and safety verification.

Due to the breach of quarantine regulations, inspectors issued a control report and an order for the shipment’s return. The entire consignment was sent back to Uzbekistan under official supervision.