Latvia bans imports of agricultural products from Russia and Belarus

The Latvian Saeima has passed a law banning the supply of agricultural products from Russia and Belarus, including through third countries.

Source. This was reported by the BBC.

In February, farmers protested in 16 cities of Latvia, demanding to stop the supply of Russian grain to the country, which, in their opinion, helps finance the invasion of Ukraine.

The law still needs to be approved by Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs. If this happens, the ban will come into force and will remain in effect until 1 July 2025. It can be extended if necessary.

According to AFP, the restrictions do not apply to Russian grain that is imported to other countries via Latvia.

"We made a quick decision to impose an import ban, but the supply of grain from Russia and Belarus through our seaports remains a sensitive issue," said Latvian Agriculture Minister Armands Krause. "Latvia can ban imports from Russia, but only the EU can agree on coordinated actions to ban the transit of Russian products through the EU.

AFP writes that Latvia has been receiving significant volumes of food from Russia, including cereals and oilseeds.

According to the agency, citing customs data, last year Latvia imported 425,000 tonnes of Russian grain, which is 60% more than in 2023.

Background. As a reminder, cars with Russian licence plates have been confiscated in Latvia since 15 February. The confiscated cars are proposed to be transferred to the Ukrainian military.