Ukraine's neighbors call for grain import ban extension to end of year

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
26 Aug 2023 21:08

This would push the current deadline which is set in September 15 to December 31.

A worker rakes wheat in a granary on a private farm in Zhurivka (AP)

The Polish Agriculture Minister Robert Telus said Friday that Ukraine's EU neighboring countries are collectively calling for the extension of the ban on Ukrainian grain imports until the end of the year.

This means it would push the current deadline which is set in September 15 to December 31.

The measure is meant to safeguard the interests of their own farmers as the latter have been blaming Ukrainian grain imports for the slump in local markets.

After a videoconference of the Prime Minister of Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, and Bulgaria was concluded, the Polish minister said that they had all adopted a joint position.

"We support extending the (grain) import ban to our countries until the end of the year," Telus told reporters.

In June, the EU implemented a ban on imports of grain from Ukraine to the five countries in an effort to protect local farmers and retain stable prices.

Poland warned that in case the bloc refuses to extend the ban, it would implement it unilaterally.

"Poland will surely do it, Hungary will surely do it," Telus said.

Despite being Ukraine's staunchest ally, Poland has had tensions with Ukraine over grain imports. It got to the point that the disagreement caused a diplomatic controversy between the neighbors.

Marcin Przydacz, a Polish presidential aide, said in July that Warsaw was putting the interests of Polish farmers first and that Ukraine should appreciate Poland's support for the war-torn country.

In response to the comments, Ukraine summoned Poland's ambassador to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.

Over the past year, the European Union has emerged as a major transit route and export destination for Ukrainian grain.