Latvia not to ban Russian grain transit to other EU member states - minister

RIGA. Jan 31 (Interfax/BNS) - Latvia will not ban Russian and Belarusian grain transit to other EU member states, Latvian Agriculture Minister Armands Krauze said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Krauze said that the Agriculture Ministry was working on a bill, which would require indicating the destination, either Latvia or another EU member state, whenever grain is imported or cleared by customs in Latvia, BNS reported.

The minister said the exports of grain from Russia and Belarus to Latvia would not be allowed, yet Latvia had no right to limit the capacity of companies from other EU member states to transport Russian grain to their destinations via Latvia.

Latvia is the second largest importer of Russian agricultural products and food in the EU after Spain, the Agriculture Ministry said. Latvia accounted for 12% of EU imports from Russia in January-October 2023.

If the transportation and transshipment of Russian grain, which is expected to reach 4 million tonnes this year, is banned, the revenue of ports will decrease by 60 million euros and the revenue of railways will fall by 40 million euros, the ministry said.