Latvia Cracks Down on Illicit Grain Shipments Amid Ukraine Occupation Fears

The Latvian Parliament has tightened controls on grain shipments from third countries to prevent illegal Ukrainian grain exports from passing through its ports.

The new rules, adopted by the Saeima on September 24, allow for the inspection of feed shipments and collection of samples for laboratory analysis to determine their origin.

The authorities are concerned that Ukrainian grain may be exported from occupied territories and transported with documents indicating Russian origin.

The US Department of Agriculture has revised its assessment of Ukraine's grain market for the 2026/27 marketing year, raising the wheat production forecast but lowering the expected volume of Ukrainian grain exports.