Polish sugar producers want an embargo on imports of this product from Ukraine

Associations of Polish sugar beet producers have asked the new Minister of Agriculture to ban imports of Ukrainian sugar to Poland because it is a threat to their business. This is reported by RMF24.

The appeal was initiated by the National Association of Sugar Beet Producers. Entrepreneurs want an “immediate embargo on sugar imports from Ukraine”.

They argue that after the temporary suspension of quotas on imports of Ukrainian agricultural products to the EU, imports of Ukrainian sugar increased tenfold, and this hit entrepreneurs in the EU’s neighboring countries the hardest.

“In recent months, Poland and other countries neighboring Ukraine have seen a significant decline in sugar prices, which puts the Polish industry in a less competitive position compared to Western European countries,” the association said.

Entrepreneurs demand a ban on imports of Ukrainian sugar to Poland, citing the example of Slovakia and Hungary, and believe that the EU decision to abolish quotas for imports of Ukrainian agricultural products should not be extended when it expires in June 2024.

The producers are asking the new Minister of Agriculture Czeslaw Siekerski to ban imports of Ukrainian sugar and to promote in Brussels the abolition of the decision on unlimited access of Ukrainian agricultural products to the EU market, returning the quotas that existed before.

Krzysztof Paszczyk, a representative of the Polish Peasant Party, said in response to a question about the potential embargo that he “does not think that the embargo is the right decision” and that the issue will have to be resolved in negotiations with Ukraine and the EU.

“We need good, constructive negotiations with the Ukrainian side. Recently, there have been too many bad emotions in our relations. We support Ukraine, we support it in its fight against Russia, but we must also gently emphasize that some of our interests cannot be jeopardized,” he said.

As you know, in September 2023, the European Commission lifted restrictions on imports of Ukrainian agricultural products to five eastern EU countries, which were imposed due to complaints from local farmers. However, three countries-Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary-responded by announcing unilateral restrictions on Ukrainian imports for certain types of products.

At the end of November, the Slovak government supported the extension of the ban on imports of agricultural products from Ukraine for an indefinite period and expanded the list of goods to which it applies.

Meanwhile, details of the licensing regime for exports of Ukrainian sunflower, rapeseed, corn, and wheat seeds were agreed with Bulgaria.

Tags: Ukraine, Poland, sugar, restrictions