In Kazakhstan, dangerous quarantine weeds have been detected in batches of agricultural products imported from the Russian Federation. This could have caused significant damage to the agricultural sector and public health, reports Todayinfo citing the Ministry of Agriculture.
Employees of the State Inspectorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, during phytosanitary monitoring of imported products, identified contamination of quarantine cargo with dangerous weeds. Violations were recorded in Kostanay and Aktobe regions, where the import of contaminated batches of feed barley and guar seeds was prevented.
“In the Uzunkol district of Kostanay region, during repeated phytosanitary control of a 3-ton batch of guar seeds imported from the Russian Federation, inspectors detected signs of contamination with quarantine objects. Selected samples were sent to the Kostanay Regional Quarantine Laboratory, where the examination confirmed the presence of common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia),” the Ministry of Agriculture said in a statement.
A similar violation was detected in Aktobe region. During inspection of a 50-ton batch of feed barley imported by road from the Republic of Bashkortostan (RF), specialists found signs of contamination with quarantine objects. Phytosanitary examination results confirmed the presence of common ragweed and giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida L.).
Administrative protocols have been drawn up based on the identified facts, and materials have been sent to court. As explained by specialists of the Ministry of Agriculture, ragweed is classified as a particularly dangerous quarantine weed. Its spread leads to soil depletion and reduced crop yields, causing significant damage to agriculture. In addition, ragweed pollen is a strong allergen and poses a serious threat to public health.
