Restrictions on imports of Ukrainian grain to five neighboring countries may be extended until October

UkrAgroConsult

European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski will insist on extending grain import restrictions from Ukraine to five neighboring countries at least until October. This was reported by The Guardian.

According to Wojciechowski, the European Commission has not yet agreed to extend the restrictions, but he hopes that he “managed to convince other member states that this is the only fair solution.” He noted that the restrictions on grain imports from Ukraine to the EU may have to be extended at least until the end of October, despite “fierce resistance” from Kyiv.

The Ukrainian side considers the EU’s decision to ban imports of Ukrainian agricultural products to five EU countries that are Ukraine’s neighbors to be wrong and suggests looking for market-based solutions to this problem.

“We met with many ministers and representatives of the European Commission. We outlined our position on the ban on imports of Ukrainian agricultural products after June 5. We are against this, it is not a good way,” Mykola Solsky, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, said in Brussels following the meeting of EU ministers on agriculture and fisheries.

He emphasized that the Ukrainian side is maximally interested in finding a constructive solution to the problem.

“The ban will only lead to more problems, as the Russians will try to use it in their own interests to provoke a weakening of unity in Europe. This cannot be allowed. We are talking to each other about this as frankly as possible,” the Ukrainian official emphasized.

The restrictions were imposed following complaints from some EU countries that the surplus of Ukrainian grain was driving down prices for local agricultural products and affecting farmers’ profits.

The EU has reached an agreement with Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania and allowed them to block grain imports from Ukraine until June 5.

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