Exclusive-Lithuanian grain testing rules could delay Russian exports by months

By Andrius Sytas

VILNIUS, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Lithuania will require Russian and Belarusian grain shipped through the port of Klaipeda to be held until tests verifying their origin are completed, a process which could delay exports by months, an Agriculture Ministry official told Reuters.

The Baltic country began testing shipments of grain from Russia and Belarus in September, saying it suspected that some originated from Ukrainian territories occupied by Moscow.

From next week, wheat, barley, sunflower seeds and maize sent for export via the Baltic Sea port of Klaipeda from Russia or Belarus will not clear customs until test results are available, the official said on Monday.

"The tests can take two months or more," the official said, adding: "If the declared origin is found to be fraudulent, the shipment will have to be returned or destroyed".

Because there is no laboratory in Lithuania able to carry out the tests required, it takes time to have them done abroad. 

Exporters will bear all costs related to storage, testing, returning or destroying the grain, the official added.

While European Union sanctions ban imports of Russian grain, transit through the bloc remains permitted.

Moscow has not commented on the legal status of grain harvested in regions internationally recognised as Ukrainian.

The Baltic states are seeking to halt the transit of Russian and Belarusian grain through their ports after Moscow stepped up the use of Baltic export routes following Ukrainian attacks on vessels and infrastructure at Black Sea ports.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania last month proposed an EU ban, while Estonia has already introduced its own restrictions.

Russian and Ukrainian wheat shipments through Azov-Black Sea ports have been at a virtual standstill since mid-August after attacks on vessels and terminals.

Russian wheat exports are running at about half their normal volume despite attempts to find alternative export routes, said Matt Ammermann, commodity risk manager at StoneX. 

(Reporting by Andrius Sytas in Vilnius; Editing by Alexander Smith)