02 july 2024 — 11:42
The decision of the EU Council to increase customs duties on imports of Russian and Belarusian grain products to the European Union has entered into force, Interfax reports.
It was adopted at the end of May this year. As reported in the Council's press release, the purpose of the decision, which comes into force on July 1, is "the introduction of prohibitive duties on grain products imported from Russia and Belarus." Duties are also being increased on oilseeds and processed products.
The duty on soft wheat is 95 euros per ton, hard wheat - 148 euros, barley and rye - 93 euros, oilseeds, oils, meal and beet pulp - 50% of the customs value. These products also do not have access to EU tariff quotas.
Meanwhile, according to experts of the grain market of the Russian Federation, the increase in duties will not have a significant impact on Russian grain exports, but may complicate the situation of livestock breeders and processors in a number of European countries.
Eduard Zernin, chairman of the Board of the Union of Grain Exporters, told Interfax that supplies of the basic product - wheat - to EU countries are insignificant. "At the same time, processed products, and this is, first of all, meal, European feed producers bought from us. Who would it hurt more? In our opinion, not for us. Because now we see an increase in demand for a wide variety of forage crops from Asian markets," he said, adding that supplies may be reoriented.