Latvian tests find no sign of Ukrainian origin in first 28 transit grain samples

None of the first 28 transit grain samples tested in Latvia showed signs that the grain had been grown in Ukraine, the Ministry of Agriculture said on Thursday. The checks are meant to establish the true origin of cargoes and to uncover possible sanctions evasion.

How the grain is tested

The Food and Veterinary Service (PVD) has taken 50 samples of transit grain since September. They were sent through the BIOR research institute to an accredited laboratory in France, which uses a method developed in the United Kingdom. It compares the chemical make-up of the grain with samples grown in different countries, since soil, climate and other conditions leave their own traces. The database covers 17 countries.

What the results do and do not show

The ministry stressed that the method alone cannot determine the country of origin with full certainty. Laboratory findings are therefore assessed together with cargo documents and information on the shipping route. The PVD passes its information to the customs board of the State Revenue Service (VID).

Latvia is part of the programme together with Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Its aim is to help uncover cases in which the true origin of grain is concealed to get around sanctions.

What happens next

Results for the remaining 22 samples will arrive gradually, and testing continues. Grain transit through Latvian ports has been hotly debated in recent weeks: farmers in Jēkabpils protested against shipments of Russian grain, and the government promised to draft a bill restricting new transit contracts.