Latvia bans imports of agricultural products from Russia and Belarus

22 February 2024 23:44

Latvia has banned imports of agricultural products and animal feed from the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. This is stated in a statement by the Saeima, according to

Today, 22 February, the Saeima adopted the relevant amendments to the Law on Agriculture and Rural Development.

According to the amendments, products originating from Russia or Belarus should not be imported from third countries. The import ban applies to agricultural products and animal feed that remain in Latvia, not to those that transit the country to the European Union (EU).

It is noted that this initiative is an additional element of the EU’s common sanctions policy, introduced in response to Russia’s war against Ukraine.

“Committing international crimes with impunity and benefiting from them is contrary to the morality of society, ethical standards and our system of values. Consumption of products of Russian origin, thus directly or indirectly supporting a criminal regime, is incompatible with the morality of society,”

– said Jānis Reirs, chairman of the Saeima’s Budget and Finance (Taxation) Committee, which is responsible for the amendments.

According to the Latvian Ministry of Agriculture, in the first 10 months of last year, Latvia imported agricultural products and animal feed worth €280 million from Russia.

In particular, we are talking about four main product groups: animal feed, grain, peas and rapeseed oil, which account for 90% of agricultural products imported to Latvia from Russia.

Russian agricultural products are not banned from imports into the EU, as they are considered to be an important element of global food security, particularly for countries in Asia and Africa.

Border blockade

on 9 February 2024, Polish farmers launched a new nationwide strike and blockade of the border with Ukraine, which will last until 10 March. It was initiated by the independent farmers’ trade union Solidarity. Starting from 12 February, they plan to block all checkpoints. The main demand of the protesters is to cancel the preferential trade regime with Ukraine and return the permit system for importing goods into Poland.

Problems at the border began on 6 November 2023, when Polish transport companies began blocking truck traffic at three major checkpoints on the Ukrainian border: “Korczowa-Krakowiec, Hrebenne-Rava-Ruska, and Dorohusk-Yagodyn. One of the requirements was to reinstate the permits for Ukrainian carriers that had been cancelled under the agreement with the EU by 30 June 2024.

On6 January, truck traffic to the Medyka-Shehyni border crossingin Poland resumed. Three other border crossing points were opened on 17 January, namely Dorohusk – Yagodyn, Hrebenne – Rava-Ruska, and Korczowa – Krakivets.

In Romania, on 13 and 14 January, local farmers blocked the movement of Ukrainian trucks through the Siret checkpoint, and on 15 January, they began blocking the Vicovu de Sus checkpoint. on 18 January, Romanian farmers began blocking the Dyakove-Halmeu checkpoint. However, as of 20 January, these checkpoints were opened.

Currently, the blockade of the border continues, with “Polish farmers” blocking truck traffic at six checkpoints. on 21 February, according to the State Border Guard Service, there were more than 2,500 trucks in queues.

Meanwhile, Poland has already imposed an embargo on Ukrainian grain, according to Polish Deputy Minister of Agriculture Michal Kolodziejczak.

Polish Minister of Development and Technology Krzysztof Hetman, in turn, said that Poland could impose an embargo on all Ukrainian agricultural products.

Yesterday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy scheduled a meeting with Polish leaders at the border.

The preferential trade regime and its opponents

Many EU members did not like the quota-free imports of Ukrainian products to the European Union, which was in effect in 2022-2023. In particular, a number of Eastern European countries demanded that the EU impose import duties on Ukrainian goods, citing unfair competition. The agriculture ministers of Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia sent a letter to the European Commission asking for action, saying that cheaper agricultural products from Ukraine were eating into their export markets.

The Ukrainian side tried to reach an agreement with the ‘problematic’ countries.” In particular, on 26 January, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted a resolution that improves the rules for exporting certain types of agricultural products. According to the resolution, a company may be excluded from the list of verified agricultural entities if it violates these rules.

At the end of January 2024, the European Commission effectively reintroduced quotas for some Ukrainian goods. It extended the special preferential regime with Ukraine for a year, but set special conditions and safeguards for some goods.

In particular, in order to “stabilise imports at the level of average volumes in 2022-2023”, the EU has come up with an “emergency braking” mechanism for three products: poultry, eggs and sugar.

In practice, this means setting a quota at the level of the average export volume in 2022-2023, exceeding which will automatically result in an import tariff being applied to the products.

Thus, the EC’s decision effectively brings back quotas for some Ukrainian products, even if at the average level of Ukrainian exports. However, even this compromise solution does not satisfy the Polish farmers’ union.

Thedecision was approved by EU ambassadors, and now the European Parliament has to support it.