A Serbian peach shipment has been blocked from entering Russia due to an alleged detection of the pest called Western flower thrips. 

Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) said the consignment weighing 18.8 metric tons (MT) was intercepted on June 23 in the Pskov region.

Rosselkhoznadzor specialists were said to have confirmed the presence of the live Western flower thrips insects, also known as Frankliniella occidentalis, which are native to Southwestern U.S. and feed on more than 500 species of host plant.

The following day the fruit was sent back to Georgia - the country from which it was passing through to enter Russia.

In other news related to blocked peach shipments being shipped into Russia, a 39MT-consignment from Morocco was also blocked in recent days.

Authorities cited discrepancies in the phytosanitary certificate as the reason behind the move.

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