News in brief:
– Latvia enacts a ban on Russian agricultural imports, responding to EU sanctions and local farmers’ protests, impacting an industry that represents 12% of the EU’s total imports.
– The ban aims to curb unfair competition, particularly the influx of cheap Russian grain, with a focus on the impact on local farmers and the national economy.
In response to the European Union’s economic sanctions following the Ukraine war in February 2022, Latvia has approved a ban on Russian agricultural and animal feed products. This decision comes after weeks of protests by local farmers, urging immediate action.
Latvian farmers, concerned about the impact on their livelihoods, rallied for the ban on food imports from Russia and Belarus. The move is a significant one, considering that Latvia is the EU’s second-largest importer of Russian agricultural and animal feed products, accounting for â¬280 million or 12% of the EU’s total imports over the first 10 months of 2023.
Rising imports, unfair competition
European Commission figures reveal a notable increase in cereal and oilseed imports from Russia between 2022 and 2023. Cereal imports surged from 102,000 tonnes to 360,000 tonnes, while oilseed imports rose from 80,000 to 370,000 tonnes. Latvian Agriculture Minister Armands Krauze emphasised that the influx of cheap Russian grain is creating unfair competition and adversely affecting local companies.
The enacted ban prohibits the import of agricultural and animal feed products from Russia and Belarus into Latvia until 1 July 2025. Additionally, products originating in Russia or Belarus, even if imported from other third countries, are subject to the ban. However, agricultural and animal feed products already in transit will either remain or be redirected to other EU countries after customs clearance.
The Latvian government, anticipating the ban’s impact, will submit a comprehensive report to parliament by 1 March 2025, detailing its effects on the national economy. Legislative amendments may follow if deemed necessary.
