News in brief: Five EU countries (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria) are extending their ban on Ukraine grain imports after Russia exited the Black Sea grain deal. The countries aim to continue allowing Ukrainian food exports transit to other countries through their ports while urging the EU to find solutions to prevent negative impacts on domestic agriculture.
Five countries in the European Union are extending their ban on Ukrainian grain imports after Russia pulled out of the Black Sea grain deal.
The report mentions Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria as the countries making this move. In a joint statement by their agriculture ministers, they said the ban will remain while still allowing the country’s food exports pass through their territories in transit to other parts of the world.
In addition, they urged the EU to work out plans to get Ukrainian grains to intended destinations to avoid a negative impact on the agricultural industry of transit countries. This issue is part of the main agenda for the upcoming EU meeting in Brussels next week.
Grains from Ukraine had previously been stuck in Poland, causes excess supply and whittling down the value of local wheat, corn and barley. It resulted in losses for farmers and massive protests that forced the previous grain imports ban legislation. The agriculture ministers warned that they donât want this to happen in their countries again.
However, they clarify that the ban will not prevent Ukraineâs grains from passing through their borders by road, rail and water to places where they are needed. They are looking at maintaining the ban all through 2023, at least.
Polish Agriculture Minister Robert Telus asserted that the move is neither against Ukraine, the EU, or anyone else. Instead, it is an attempt to their own farmers happy. Romania has seen 20 million tons of Ukrainian grain pass its ports within the period of March 2022 and June 2023.
Meanwhile, embattled Ukraine president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, disclosed that his administration will continue to export grains through the Black Sea, in open defiance of Russiaâs decision and threat of attacks.
The Black Sea Grain deal had allowed Ukraine export more than 30 million metric tons of grains to other countries, especially in Africa and Asia. Turkey and the UN had brokered the deal with a view to ending global food crisis, occasioned by the continued Russian invasion of Ukraine, and it had positively brought commodities prices down.
