UK, Ukraine and Latvia extend grain-origin verification cooperation
An October 26 announcement says a new memorandum extends access to a scheme designed to assess grain’s geographic origin.
What the record says
The UK says it has signed a memorandum with Ukraine and Latvia extending the Grain Verification Scheme. The scheme compares grain samples with a reference database to assess their likely geographic origin, supporting efforts to identify produce taken from occupied Ukrainian territory. The announcement says Latvia joins cooperation already involving Ukraine and Lithuania. The UK-developed system combines chemical analysis, including stable-isotope and trace-element techniques, with machine learning.
Source details and supporting locations.
Practical next step
Readers can consult the official announcement for the agreement’s scope and how the verification scheme is intended to work.
Limits and what is not established
The agreement does not prove that a particular consignment has been identified or seized. Origin assessments are described as likely-origin estimates, rather than certainty about every grain shipment, and the memorandum is not itself a blanket import ban.
Sources checked October 26, 2026. Later notices may change instructions or arrangements.
Original sources
UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs: original information