Poland, a neighboring country that mainly imports grain from Ukraine, announced a temporary suspension of imports on the 15th. Neighboring Hungary also announced the same measure on the same day. Poland has been actively supporting Ukraine by leading the supply of weapons to the West since the beginning of Russia’s invasion, but it took protectionist measures when its agricultural market was threatened by the massive inflow of agricultural products from Ukraine, which received tariff exemptions.
According to foreign media, including Reuters, on the same day, Jaroslav Kazinski, leader of the ruling ‘PiS’ party in Poland, announced that, “From today, imports of major agricultural products such as grain, sugar, eggs and fruit from Ukraine will be suspended.” The measure, which runs until June 30, applies not only to agricultural products sold in Poland, but also agricultural products transiting through Poland.
As Russia’s blockade of the Black Sea blocked grain exports from Ukraine, the European Union (EU) completely removed tariffs on Ukrainian agricultural products in June of last year with the goal of ensuring food security in the EU. As a result, grains from Ukraine flowed into Poland and Hungary en masse, but there was a lack of transportation means to move them to third countries, so a ‘grain bottleneck’ occurred.
This measure is interpreted as a move conscious of the rural vote in Poland’s general elections this fall. Poland last month asked the EU Commission to reinstate tariffs on agricultural products from Ukraine, but the EU extended the deadline for tariff elimination to June next year. Tensions between Poland and the EU escalated in protest, with Polish Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Henrik Kovalczyk resigning on the 5th.
The possibility of similar measures being taken in other neighboring countries of Poland is raised. Earlier this month, farmers protested at a Romanian-Bulgarian border checkpoint to block imports of agricultural products from Ukraine. The EU said it “opposes unilateral measures (by Poland and Hungary).”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.