Poland bans import of Ukrainian grain
The government in Warsaw is banning imports of grain and other food products from Ukraine to protect Poland's agricultural sector, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, head of the ruling PiS party, announced on Saturday, Reuters reports.
After the Russian invasion, the European Union eliminated tariffs on Ukrainian grain in a bid to make it easier to ship to Africa and the Middle East. But the grain ended up flooding markets in Poland, Romania and other EU countries that were supposed to be transit routes.
Polish farmers staged new protests at border crossings with Ukraine this week, but police prevented them from blocking the railway lines. Every day dozens of train wagons, each loaded with up to 70 tonnes of grain, enter Poland from Ukraine, increasing Polish farmers' concerns about their future and the fate of their crops this year.
Protesters argue that the transit of Ukrainian grain should be carried out under the same conditions as arms deliveries to Ukraine, to avoid the grain flooding the Polish market. Instead, the protesters claim that a number of government-linked companies are allowed to import these cheap, low-quality grains and then resell them to bread and pasta factories as high-quality Polish grain.
"Today, the Government decided on regulations banning the entry, import of grain into Poland, and other types of food products from Ukraine." The list of these goods will be determined by the Government, and will include products "from cereals to honey, and many, many things," Kaczynski announced. He added: "We are and remain friends and allies of Ukraine and we will support it. But it is the duty of every state, every authority, to protect the interests of its citizens".
Poland is ready to start discussions with Ukraine on resolving the grain issue and the Ukrainian side has already been notified of the Warsaw government's decisions, Kaczynski said.
