Dispute over Russian grain transit: Latvian farmers' side challenges port arguments
Russian and Belarusian grain transit through Latvian ports has risen, and a ban is under debate. The author of an opinion piece in Dienas Bizness disputes stevedores' claims that a ban would raise farmers' logistics costs.
A dispute has emerged in Latvia over whether to ban Russian and Belarusian grain transit through its ports. In an opinion piece in the business daily Dienas Bizness, the author rejects arguments by port-sector representative Kasalis that a ban would raise logistics costs for Latvian farmers. Parliament (the Saeima) and the government are still to decide on the matter.
Rise in transit
According to the article, 888,000 tonnes of Russian and Belarusian grain passed through Latvia in transit by 6 October. That is 36% more than in the whole of 2025. In the previous export season Russia shipped 46.3 million tonnes, or 90% of its grain, through Black Sea and Azov Sea ports, and only about a million tonnes through its Baltic ports. This summer Ukrainian drones halted shipping in the Sea of Azov, and in August they temporarily shut down all three grain terminals at Novorossiysk. The author argues that this is why Russian exporters began looking northward, and that the flow therefore does not reflect the competitiveness of Latvian ports.
Transit has shifted before: in the first ten months of 2023 it was almost three million tonnes, while in 2025 it was 652,000.
The cost dispute
The author questions the industry estimate that farmers' costs would rise by 10 to 25–30 euros per tonne without transit. According to estimates by Latvian Television's programme De facto, the railway, handlers and port together earn 25–30 euros from each tonne of Russian grain, which means 22–27 million euros a year for the whole logistics chain. Latvian farmers export about 2 million tonnes a year. The author says that during this year's harvest cooperatives saw Russian cargoes compete with Latvian grain for terminal capacity, and that cheap Russian grain pushes down the price Latvian farmers receive.
Neighbouring countries
Lithuania halted Belaruskali transit, faced a 12 billion dollar arbitration claim, and the port of Klaipeda continues to operate. Estonia banned Russian and Belarusian grain transit this autumn. The author suggests supporting ports through tax relief, rent holidays and state co-financing for switching terminals to Latvian and Western cargo. The farmers' organisation LLKA says it will represent farmers in the Saeima and the government.
