Latvia Has Sharply Increased Grain Transits From Belarus
- 29.09.2026, 16:33
The figure has increased nearly a thousandfold compared to last year.
In September, grain transit from Russia and Belarus through Latvia increased significantly. This is evidenced by data compiled by the Latvian State Revenue Service (VID), according to Delfi.lv.
From September 1 through 24, 253,623 metric tons of grain were transported in transit through Latvia from Russia—nearly twice as much as during the entire month of September 2025. From Belarus, 40,101 metric tons of grain were transported in transit through Latvia from September 1 to 24. In September of last year, no grain from Belarus was transported in transit through Latvia.
In total, from January 1 through September 24 of this year, 593,663 metric tons of grain were transported from Russia via Latvia—8.9% less than in all of 2025. Grain transit from Belarus during the same period totaled 116,847 metric tons—913 times more than in all of 2025.
A significant increase in grain transit was also observed in August: 158,983 metric tons of grain were transported in transit from Russia through Latvia—55.9% more than in August 2025. A total of 26,726 metric tons were transported from Belarus. In August of last year, no grain was transported from Belarus via Latvia.
VID explains that European Union (EU) legislation prohibits the import into the EU of any goods originating from territories of Ukraine not controlled by the Ukrainian government. The territories illegally annexed by Russia include the Crimean Peninsula and the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions. These rules apply to all import procedures, as well as to transit.
To ensure that goods are not produced in areas of Ukraine not controlled by the Ukrainian government, customs inspections are conducted: the information provided is verified on a random basis, explains VID. Businesses are required, in particular, to provide information on the exact location where the wheat was grown, its variety, and confirmation that the wheat does not originate from territories of Ukraine not controlled by the Ukrainian government.
They are also asked to provide precise information about the delivery route from the goods’ place of origin to the EU border, as well as waybills, contracts, transport documents, shipping invoices, and other documents.
The VID also emphasizes that customs is not solely responsible for enforcing sanctions. All companies involved in grain transit must independently verify shipments before entering into contracts for their transportation, transshipment, storage, and onward transport.
During the first eight months of 2026, Latvian customs inspections prevented sanctions violations in 842 cases. In 467 cases, companies were denied the application of the declared customs procedure to their cargoes.
Furthermore, the VID notes that compliance with sanctions is not monitored solely by customs. All companies involved in grain transit are also required to verify compliance before entering into contracts for the transport, transshipment, storage, and onward transport of cargo.