Lithuania Resumes Russian Grain Imports Amid EU Debates
In February, Lithuania restarted purchases of grain from Russia after a six‑month pause, according to RIA News, which cites data from the European Statistical Service. The country had halted regular grain imports in May 2023, with the final shipment scheduled for July of that year. The restart saw the first delivery arrive in February, totaling 12.2 thousand tons valued at €1.95 million.
On March 20, agriculture ministers from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and the Czech Republic urged the European Commission to ban grain imports from Russia and Belarus into the European Union. Poland responded by moving to impose a 50% tax on Russian and Belarusian grain.
Previously, Sergei Dankvert, head of Rosselkhoznadzor, indicated that EU plans to tax grain imports from Russia and Belarus would not damage Moscow but would raise costs for European suppliers. He argued that European countries would need to seek alternate sources, which would be more expensive for buyers in the region.
Earlier reports noted that Russia had become the leading grain supplier to Pakistan.