Latvia implements laboratory checks on Belarusian grain shipments

Latvia has introduced mandatory laboratory checks for all grain shipments arriving from Belarus and Russia. The State Revenue Service of Latvia began inspecting documents for all such shipments in September to identify whether grain from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories is being exported through Latvian territory.

To verify the origin of the cargo, the Latvian Food and Veterinary Service is taking samples from transit batches and sending them to laboratories in France and the United Kingdom for analysis. If the tests confirm the grain originated from occupied Ukrainian lands, the findings will be reported to the shipment recipients. Such results could lead to restrictions on the carriers involved or a potential ban on further grain transit through the country.

Despite these intensified measures, grain transit from Russia and Belarus through Latvia has increased significantly. In the first nine months of 2026, transit volumes were 2.7 times higher than during the same period in 2025. While Latvia has banned Russian grain imports since 2024, a formal transit ban is currently being considered as either a national or European Union measure.