Greece won’t join ‘not viable’ bans on Ukrainian grain

The bans on Ukrainian grain and other food products that were unilaterally introduced by the war-torn country’s neighbours are not a viable solution, Konstantinos Baginetas, secretary general of Greece’s agriculture ministry, told EU agriculture and fisheries ministers in Luxembourg on Wednesday.

In June of last year, the European Commission agreed to set up so-called “solidarity corridors” to allow Ukraine, a major global grain producer and exporter, to continue exporting grain.

Citing increased prices, Ukraine’s neighbouring Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia were introduced at the start of this year, though Poland and Romania have since lifted theirs.

“Greece shares the disproportionate burden on neighbouring member states in Ukraine and understands the reactions and mobilisations of their farmers,” Baginetas told EU agriculture and fisheries ministers on Wednesday.

But “unilateral national measures are not a viable solution” and “should be avoided”, he added, referring to the unilateral bans introduced in past weeks.

Greece backs the “further use of solidarity corridors” as these are particularly important under current circumstances, the Greek official added.

He added that the Commission’s “current proposals for immediate relief for the neighbouring member states are a step in the right direction, ” noting that global food supply and the support for Ukraine’s economy, which is mainly based on agricultural exports, needs to be ensured.

Tags: grain, Greece, restrictions