Armenia's food safety agency faces questions after Kazakh wheat reclassified at higher grade

Armenia's Food Safety Inspection Body (FSIB) is facing scrutiny after announcing that wheat imported from Kazakhstan met third-grade standards, despite Kazakh media reports that the shipment was classified as fourth-grade at export.

The controversy follows a public exchange sparked by a social media post from journalist Nairi Hoghikyan about flour quality. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the FSIB said laboratory tests found that a Russian wheat sample met second-grade standards, while the Kazakh sample complied with third-grade requirements.

“Within the framework of quality testing, including protein mass fraction, gluten content, moisture and organoleptic indicators such as color and odor, the sample from the Russian Federation corresponded to second-grade wheat and the sample from the Republic of Kazakhstan corresponded to third-grade wheat,” the agency said.

Kazakh media had previously reported that 1,000 tons of wheat exported to Armenia in 15 railcars were fourth-grade, a category typically suitable for general-purpose flour or compound feed. The reports fueled criticism in Armenia, with consumers and commentators accusing the government of overhyping and overvaluing a low-quality import.

Babken Pipoyan, head of the Informed and Protected Consumer NGO, said the reclassification raises serious procedural and professional questions.

“If the Kazakh side officially states it exported fourth-grade wheat, then our task is to determine whether the grain meets fourth-grade characteristics,” Pipoyan told Panorama.am. “At best, the imported grain could be fourth-grade; at worst, fifth-grade. But somehow, a miracle happens and fourth-grade wheat arrives in Armenia and becomes third-grade.”

Pipoyan added that if such an upgrade were credible, Kazakhstan would have a strong incentive to route exports through Armenia. “If Kazakhs knew their fourth-grade wheat turns into third-grade here, they would organize all exports through Armenia, because third-grade wheat is significantly more expensive,” he said.

He also questioned the testing process itself, noting that import laboratory checks are typically conducted by private laboratories, not state-run facilities.

“The attached documents show the testing was done in a state laboratory,” Pipoyan said. “This suggests the examination was not carried out within the framework of border control, but under another procedure possibly in response to public complaints. That, in turn, is direct evidence that border control was not conducted.”

Pipoyan called on the food safety agency to clarify why a state laboratory was used, whether samples were taken at the border or after import and whether all required quality and safety indicators were tested.

“We should not allow the public to be misled,” he said. “How does fourth-grade wheat become third-grade? Were all mandatory indicators examined? If not, why? These questions must be answered by the competent agency so we can rely on facts, not assumptions.”