This is stated in the joint appeal of the leading public associations of the agri-food sector of Ukraine. The agricultural community is extremely concerned about the situation with the unilateral ban on the import of Ukrainian food to certain EU countries.
We are talking about the decision of the Governments of Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria to ban the import of agricultural products from Ukraine. These decisions also provoke certain similar actions of other EU countries that are neighbours of Ukraine. In particular, there are currently ongoing discussions in Romania.
Ukraine and Poland have reached the agreement to resume the transit of Ukrainian agricultural products. It will start operating on the night of April 20-21, 2023.
The UN-backed grain corridor is the main exit route for Ukrainian agricultural exports, so the decision by Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria to block them too will cause considerable damage to Ukrainian farmers and a sector hard hit by the war.
Kyiv's hope is that a negotiated solution will be found on a multilateral scale between Ukraine, the national governments involved and the European Commission (EC), whose decision to lift tariffs on its products triggered a reaction from the four eastern countries.
As expected, Russia took advantage of the situation when three European countries banned the import of Ukrainian products, and Poland, moreover, banned transit.
As a result of these actions, the export of Ukrainian agricultural products is again very limited.
Unilateral action on trade by European Union member states is unacceptable, the bloc's executive said on Sunday, after Poland and Hungary announced bans on grain and other food imports from Ukraine to protect their local agricultural sectors.
The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine regrets the decision of its Polish counterparts to temporarily restrict exports of agricultural goods from Ukraine to and through the territory of Poland (including transit). The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine has always supported open, constructive and mutually beneficial cooperation in accordance with the Association and Free Trade Agreements between Ukraine and the EU.
The agreement on the Grain Initiative has been extended for another 120 days. This was announced by Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine and Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development.
Joint statement of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba and Deputy Prime-minister for Restoration of Ukraine – Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine Oleksandr Kubrakov on Russian obstructing of navigation in the Black Sea
Ukraine is deeply concerned about the destructive actions of the Russian Federation, which result in the delay of the work of the Black Sea grain corridor, obstructing the Black Sea Grain Initiative in general, shipping in the Black Sea and free access of food to world markets.
A mere 9% of almost 1,500 global companies have left the Russian market since the full-scale invasion.
That’s according to Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to the head of the President's Office, Ukrinform reports.
All-Ukrainian public organization "Ukrainian Agrarian Confederation" together with member organizations of the Ukrainian National Agrarian Forum (UNAF) - Ukrainian Agribusiness Club, All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council, Agrarian Union of Ukraine - appeals to the EU Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (EU Food & Farming), EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council and Copa-Cogeca members organizations with a request to extend the preferential trade conditions between Ukraine and the EU at least till the end of 2024.