Latvia Slams Brakes on Russian Grain Exports with Staggering Tariff Hike

Latvia's Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs announced plans to impose a tariff of up to 300% on grain arriving from Russia and Belarus.

The move comes after officials in Latvia and neighboring Lithuania considered ending shipments of Russian grain through their ports following Moscow's response to Ukrainian attacks on its Baltic ports.

Russian exporters are using Latvia as an alternative route for grain exports, with a significant portion being transported via the country's EU and NATO membership status.

According to industry data, Russia exported 46.3 million metric tons of grain through Black Sea and Azov Sea routes between July 2025 and June this year, accounting for 90% of total Russian seaborne grain exports.