Poland fears repeat of grain crisis amid transit from Ukraine

Polish agricultural organizations have expressed concern over a potential increase in Ukrainian grain transit through Poland following the effective shutdown of Ukraine’s Greater Odesa ports. The Polish Association of Grain Producers (PZPRZ) has called on the government to guarantee protection of the domestic market, while Marcin Wroński, a representative of the Samoobrona farmers’ union, warned of the risk of a repeat of the situation seen in 2022.

Concerns among Polish farmers intensified following reports of talks between Ukraine and Poland, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary on greater use of their railways, ports and other logistics infrastructure for grain exports. Ukraine is seeking alternative routes amid limited opportunities for shipments through Black Sea ports.

PZPRZ noted that the previous sharp increase in flows of Ukrainian agricultural products, according to Polish producers, disrupted the domestic grain market and increased pressure on prices. Polish farmers fear that even if shipments are formally declared as transit cargo, some Ukrainian products could remain in the country.

Another concern in Poland is growing competition in international markets. If Polish ports and other infrastructure are used extensively for Ukrainian exports, local producers fear that Ukrainian grain will compete with Polish supplies for traditional buyers. The situation is further complicated by substantial carry-over stocks: Poland harvested 37.3 mln tons of grain in 2025, while the area planted with major grain crops increased by around 2.9% in 2026.

PZPRZ has called on the Polish government to clarify the potential volumes and types of Ukrainian agricultural products that could be transported through the country and to assess the impact of these flows on the domestic market. Polish producers are also demanding mechanisms to control transit and protect local farmers from potential price declines and an accumulation of unsold grain.