Nearly half of feed imported from Russia found non-compliant – Lithuanian service

VILNIUS – Since the tightening of checks on cereals imported into Lithuania from Russia and Belarus in mid-March, almost half of the examined consignments have been found to contain elevated levels of lead or salmonella bacteria, the State Food and Veterinary Service (SFVS) said on Monday.

Forty-two vehicles transporting non-animal feed from Russia and Belarus for import into Lithuania were inspected between March 18, when the stricter controls were put in place, and April 24. 

Twenty-one consignments were returned to the country of origin due to non-compliance with the documentation requirements during the period.

Laboratory reports for 19 other shipments have been received so far.

Nine consignments of feed yeast from Russia did not comply with the legal requirements. Of these, four were found to contain elevated levels of lead and five were found to contain Salmonella bacteria.

The remaining 10 consignments met the requirements.

SFVS Director Audrone Mikalauskiene told BNS last week that grain imports from Russia and Belarus had fallen by 95 percent since mid-March, but transit shipments to other EU markets had surged.

According to the latest data from the SFVS, 347 consignments of non-animal feed in transit through Lithuania to other EU countries were recorded between March 18 an April 24, an increase of 88 percent compared to the period between January 1 and March 17.

Starting March 18, the service has been inspecting every rail or road shipment of grain from Russia and its occupied regions, and Belarus. Specialists are checking the origin of cereals and inspecting EU-destined grain shipments for additives banned in the bloc.

The parliament last week imposed a ban on importing agricultural products and feed originating in Russia or Belarus. The measure has yet to be approved by the government and the president.