Baltic Export, China, Good for Business, Lithuania

Rasa Rimkute said officials from China's General Administration of Customs (GACC) were quite positive about Lithuanian wheat. 

A preliminary agreement was signed in Vilnius on Tuesday, but the Chinese customs officials will still have to have its final provisions approved by their country's leadership.  

"There were no disagreements. They were shown the entire chain from the field up to the export and mentioned that the quality of our grain would satisfy them," told Rimkute.  

"Of course, they'll make certain requirements on their part, but that's normal. There shouldn't be any problems," she added. 

The official said it was difficult to predict when permission might be obtained, adding that the Chinese officials had told them that the process might take several months. 

As part of their week-long visit, the Chinse customs officials visited grain producers in Kedainiai, Radviliskis and Siauliai, and companies that buy, store and prepare grain for export, as well as the stevedoring companies Klasco and Bega, and SGS laboratories in Klaipeda.

Lithuania exported 2 mln tons of grain, including 1.3 mln tons of wheat sold mainly to Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Spain, Poland and other EU countries, in January through September 2018, based on figures from the Lithuanian Grain Growers' Association.