Grain Transit Volumes Surge Across Latvia from Russia and Belarus
Grain transit shipments from Russia and Belarus through Latvia have surpassed the total volume recorded for the entirety of last year, driven by a sharp post-harvest increase in late summer, lsm.lv reported. State Revenue Service Customs Board records show that transit volumes reached significant amounts of Russian grain by October 6, compared to previous periods. State Revenue Service data reveals that last year significant amounts of grain were transported in transit from Russia, while this year up to October 6 alone the volume reached significant amounts.
Customs Board and Food and Veterinary Service Inspections
Neither national nor European Union legislation currently bans the transit of grain products from Russia and Belarus, leaving customs authorities to focus on document verification and cargo testing. State Revenue Service Customs Board Deputy Director Inta Kovaļevska stated that Belarusian transit grew from 128 tonnes last year to 146 tūkstoši tonnu graudu this year, representing a massive increase while documentary checks have found no regulatory breaches yet. To verify whether shipments originate in Russian-controlled Ukrainian territories, Food and Veterinary Service inspectors have taken 19 samples since September 16 for origin testing by the BIOR scientific institute. European Union regulations (Regulation No 692/2014 and Regulation (EU) 2022/263) prohibit importing into the European Union any goods originating in Ukrainian territories not controlled by the Ukrainian government, with Russia's illegally annexed territories defined as the Crimean peninsula and the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions, applying to all entry procedures as well as transit.
Railway subsidiary limits infrastructure fee increases
Latvian railway subsidiary LatRailNet implemented a 25% average increase in infrastructure usage fees for Russian grain transit, falling well short of the government’s directive to triple the cost for aggressor state grain transport. LatRailNet board chair Justīna Hudenko explained to the Baltic News Service (LETA) that the 25% adjustment represented the maximum lawful increase possible under EU regulations and national norms without violating international trade rules.
Common Questions on the Grain Transit Restrictions
What volume of Russian and Belarusian grain has moved through Latvia this year?
State Revenue Service data shows Russian grain transit reached significant amounts by October 6, while Belarusian transit surged to 146 tūkstoši tonnu graudu, according to lsm.lv.
Why did the railway infrastructure fee increase by only 25% instead of being tripled?
LatRailNet board chair Justīna Hudenko stated that the 25% rise was the highest lawful rate the company could apply under European Union regulations and economic evaluations.
How are authorities checking the origin of the transported grain?
The Food and Veterinary Service and customs inspectors have taken 19 samples since September 16 for origin testing by the BIOR scientific institute to determine if the grain originates in Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine.
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