Poland decided on Saturday to ban imports of grain and other agricultural products from neighboring Ukraine to protect its own farmers, ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski announced. Ukrainian cereals destined for foreign countries transit through the European Union since the traditional export route via the Black Sea was blocked by the Russian invasion. But, due to logistical problems, grain stocks are piling up in Poland, driving down local prices, which has led to protests by farmers and the resignation of Poland’s agriculture minister.
“Today (Saturday) the government decided to ban the entry, the import of cereals into Poland as well as dozens of other agri-food products,” said Jaroslaw Kaczynski who was speaking from the village of Lyse, in northern Poland. Otherwise, “it would lead to a serious crisis in the agricultural sector in Poland”, he added.
“We remain friends and allies of Ukraine”
Addressing a meeting of his Law and Justice party (PiS), the leader of the ruling party stressed that Poland nevertheless continued to firmly support Ukraine. “We remain, without the slightest change, friends and allies of Ukraine,” he said. The Ukrainian Ministry of Agricultural Policy, however, said on Saturday “to regret the decision of its Polish counterpart”. “Polish farmers are facing a difficult situation but we would like to point out that Ukrainian farmers are facing the most serious situation” due to the war, commented the ministry.
The latter proposed that the two countries find an agreement in the coming days that would mutually satisfy them. Last month, Poland and four other central European states asked for help from the European Union to find a solution to the problem caused by the low price of Ukrainian cereals.