Bulgarian grain producers organized protests on Monday and demanded an end to wheat imports from Ukraine, DPA reports, Agerpres reports.

Protesters who took part in demonstrations in three regions of Bulgaria told public radio station BNT that wheat produced in Bulgaria cannot compete in the country’s domestic market with wheat imported from Ukraine, which is about 30% cheaper.

In order to support the Ukrainian economy in the face of the war with Russia, last year the European Union suspended tariffs and other trade measures on imports from Ukraine.

“The (wheat) market has collapsed, the warehouses are full,” Dimitar Dimoitrov, the coordinator of farmers’ protests in Bulgaria, warned, adding that similar problems are caused by the import of cheap sunflower seeds from Ukraine.

During the protests, farmers blocked the road with tractors and harvesters, which is an important way of transporting goods between the city of Ruse and the interior of Bulgaria.

These protests in northern Bulgaria are expected to continue indefinitely. Grain producers in the eastern region of Burgas have announced that they are ready to join the protests.

Similar protests in Poland

In Poland, in early February, groups of farmers blocked the movement of trucks at several border crossings with Ukraine as a sign of protest against the entry into the country of “low-quality” Ukrainian grain, which causes them losses due to the collapse of prices.

In late February, the European Commission proposed to extend for one year the suspension of import duties, quotas and trade defense measures (known as “autonomous trade measures”) that apply to Ukrainian exports to the European Union.

This mechanism will allow, at the initiative of an EU member state or the Commission, to reintroduce customs duties for a Ukrainian product if its import has a negative impact on the European market of similar or directly competitive products, in order to increase the import of this product, as well as its impact on European prices and production.

The proposal must be considered by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.