Poland not to lift ban on imports of Ukrainian grain for now - minister

The new government of Poland will not lift the ban on imports of Ukrainian grain to the domestic market, introduced on September 15, 2023.

This was announced by the Minister of Agriculture of Poland Czesław Siekierski, Ukrinform reports citing Cenyrolnicze.pl.

Poland wants to help Ukraine, but the country needs regulations on quotas and transition periods. These are negotiations not only between Poland and Ukraine, but also with the participation of the EU. Poland will support the embargo on Ukrainian grain until other conditions are agreed upon, Siekierski said.

In his opinion, a good solution would be to introduce licensing for transportation, while allowing the use of transit routes for Ukrainian grain outside of Poland.

Siekierski reminded that before Christmas he met with the protesters blocking the Medyka-Shehyni checkpoint and found a compromise with them, which allowed suspending the farmers' protest at this checkpoint and unblocking truck traffic.

As reported, on December 24, Polish farmers suspended the blockade of traffic for trucks near the Medyka-Shehyni checkpoint until early January.

On November 6, Polish carriers blocked truck traffic on the border with Ukraine at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk, Krakivets-Korczowa, and Rava-Ruska-Hrebenne checkpoints.

Later, Polish farmers joined them at the Shehyni-Medyka checkpoint, putting forward their demands. The farmers insisted on receiving subsidies for the purchase of corn, maintaining the agricultural tax at the level of 2023 next year, and extending loans to provide liquidity.

In May 2023, the European Commission banned imports of wheat, corn, rapeseed, and sunflower from Ukraine to Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Romania at the insistence of these countries. The ban was extended until September 15, 2023. After that, the EU did not extend the temporary restrictions on Ukrainian grain.

The Polish government, headed by Mateusz Morawiecki, had independently blocked imports of Ukrainian grain to the Polish market, but it is still transiting through Poland.