The Ministry of Agriculture is planning to present a proposal to the customs and tariff regulation subcommittee regarding the introduction of quotas on potato seed imports and several other agricultural crops sourced from nations considered hostile. This development emerged during a recent meeting attended by senior ministry officials and was reported by a national news outlet.
As stated by the meeting’s spokesperson, the ministry aims to raise the issue of imported seed quotas before the customs-tariff and non-tariff regulation subcommittee on February 17. The agenda includes measures that would limit seed imports over a defined period.
The draft plan recommends that import restrictions be applicable from January 1 through December 31, 2024. In addition to seeds, the proposal covers quotas for imports of wheat, rye, corn, soybeans, rapeseed, sunflower seeds, and sugar beet roots.
Officials have not yet finalized the exact quota volumes. Early indications suggest the policy may avoid affecting shipments entering the domestic market from members of the Eurasian Economic Union, including Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
In the latter half of January, the Agriculture Minister outlined the government’s intent to curb foreign seed imports as part of broader agricultural protection plans. The ministry’s objective appears to be balancing domestic supply security with the country’s broader trade and agricultural policy priorities.