Not much Russian grain transit Lithuania, most of it is transported through Latvia, which is a big problem, says Lithuania’s Transport Minister Marius Skuodis.
The issue is to be raised at a remote meeting with Latvian Transport Minister Kaspars Briškens and Estonian Climate Minister Kristen Michal on Wednesday, he said.
“We have a very specific issue, the transportation of Russian grain through the Baltic states. In Lithuania it is not a significant issue, the volumes are very small, but in Latvia it is still a big problem,” Skuodis told reporters.
Aušrys Macijauskas, chairman of the Lithuanian Grain Growers Association, said in December that Russian grain was transiting through Latvia in large quantities, and some of the grain was ending up in Lithuania.
Agriculture Minister Kęstutis Navickas said at the time that Russian grain was taken to Latvian ports but not to Lithuania’s Klaipėda. However, he did rule out the possibility that Russian grain could be brought in with false origin documentation.
The Latvian government should take action, Navickas said.
Lithuanian farmers, who held protests in January, have also spoken of suspicions that grain from Russia is entering the Lithuanian market via Latvia.
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