Poland bans Ukraine grain imports to protect local farmers

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
15 Apr 2023 18:41
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The Polish Council of Ministers confirmed the authorization of relevant agencies to temporarily ban Ukrainian grain imports.

A picture of wheat in a field near the village of Zghurivka, Ukraine on August 9, 2022 (Reuters)

The Polish Cabinet convened in Warsaw on Saturday whereby Agriculture Minister Robert Telus raised the issue of unchecked inflow and import of low-quality agricultural products from Ukraine.

The Polish Council of Ministers then met later that day and confirmed the authorization of relevant agencies to temporarily ban Ukrainian grain imports.

Chaired by Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, the Council brainstormed possible solutions to the matter and suggested multiple formal measures that Poland should abide by to protect its agriculture, farmers, and consumers.

The Cabinet in a statement said that it has "authorized the minister of agriculture and the minister of development and technology to issue relevant legislation to protect the Polish agricultural market from destabilization, including a temporary ban on imports of agricultural products from Ukraine."

This, in turn, would aid in stabilizing the agricultural market.

According to the Cabinet, the ministers remain in contact with Ukrainian authorities to inform them of the "difficult situation related to the destabilization of the agricultural market."

EU farmers receiving compensation

Earlier this month, the European Commission is said to be studying a new package of assistance to mitigate the severe competition posed by duty-free Ukranian products, according to spokesperson Balazs Ujvaris.

The first farmer assistance package was employed back in March, whereby $61.2 million worth of financial compensation was allocated for Polish, Bulgarian, and Romanian farmers. Additionally, comparable sums of financial compensation are expected to be dedicated by the national governments once EC approves it.

In January, a delegation from some of Ukraine's neighboring countries, such as Poland, Hungary, and Romania, stressed that the negative impact of Ukrainian duty-free products must be fixed, citing the negative "impact on their farmers” competitiveness.

Other European countries have also been raising complaints recently regarding the tariff-free Ukrainian agri-food products flooding the EU market, as domestic producers and farmers are facing disadvantages and struggling to compete.