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ARTICLE

Latvia proposes to ban imports of Russian grain to EU countries
News Censor.NET
04.12.23 17:43
https://censor.net/en/n3459532

In Latvia, amid criticism, the issue of banning grain imports from Russia to the EU and allowing it to be transported only in transit for export to third countries was raised.

This is reported by Delfi, as Censor.NET cites the European Pravda.

According to the Border Control Department of the Food and Veterinary Service, 382,800 tonnes of grain from Russia entered the EU through Latvia’s border in 11 months of 2023. Currently, imports of Russian agricultural products are not restricted by EU or Latvian legislation. It is not known exactly how much of this grain remains in Latvia.

In this regard, Lithuanian Minister of Agriculture Kęstutis Navickas said that Russian grain was not entering Lithuania, and one of the Lithuanian agricultural associations called for tighter control at the Latvian-Lithuanian border to prevent grain from Russia from entering the Lithuanian market.

“It is a shocking situation that Latvia and possibly other neighbouring countries are importing grain from the aggressor country. No one knows exactly where it comes from because of the lack of control,” said the head of the Lithuanian Grain Producers Association.

Latvian Agriculture Minister Armands Krause initiated a discussion at the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Committee on a ban on imports of Russian agricultural products to the EU. The position is shared by President Edgars Rinkēvičs.

Krause believes that the time has come for the EU to ban imports of Russian grain to its market, but to retain the possibility of transit of Russian grain to third countries, so that this step does not worsen global food security.