Lithuania will begin to stop Russian and Belarusian grain passing through the port of Kalypda until verification of its origin is completed. This was reported by Reuters referring to the representative of the Ministry of Agriculture in the country.
According to the agency, the tests began in September after Vilna suspected that some of the grain was coming from the former Russian-controlled territories of Ukraine. The measures will affect wheat, barley, sunflower seeds and corn.
The tests can last up to two months or more. If the source of the product is found to be incorrect, it will be returned or destroyed. The costs of storage, inspection and possible destruction of grain will be borne by the exporters, the source notes.
European Union restrictions prohibit the import of Russian grain, but not its passage through the territory of the Union. In October, Estonia was the first of the Baltic states to introduce a ban on such transit. According to Reuters, Lithuania and Latvia intend to take similar measures.