Ukrainian agricultural exports through Eastern Europe have not affected those markets, despite farmers’ protests, and the resumption of supplies via the Black Sea should help calm their fears, a Ukrainian official said on Wednesday, Agerpres reported.
Ukraine’s neighboring countries (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria) complained that the influx of Ukrainian agricultural products disrupted their markets, prompting protests by farmers and transporters.
Taras Katsyka, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Economy and Kyiv’s trade representative, acknowledged that the explosion of exports across Eastern Europe, as the Russian invasion cut off traditional supplies through Black Sea ports, has sparked concern and criticism that Ukrainian products do not meet EU food safety standards .
“It is surprising for us because we believe that we are not taking European farmers out of their local markets for any product,” Taras Katsyka told reporters he met in Brussels.
Two weeks ago, the European Commission proposed measures to limit the export of poultry meat, eggs and sugar from Ukraine, with a possible temporary restriction on other agricultural products, such as grain. The proposals of the executive power of the Community must be approved by the governments of the EU member states and the European Parliament.
Katsika noted that Ukrainian exports through Black Sea ports resumed after the creation of an alternative corridor in August 2023. In the first six months after the creation of this corridor, Ukraine exported 14.3 million tons of agricultural products, and deliveries in January 2024 approached the pre-war level.
“We believe that the problem of grain and goods with Poland is solved,” said Taras Katsyka.
The Ukrainian official also noted that the EU must go beyond temporary trade liberalization in 2025 or 2026 and convince farmers and politicians that tariffs and quotas are no longer needed. “What we need to do is to make sure that everyone knows that we are following EU production rules,” Kaczyka said, hoping a solution would be found by the end of this year.
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Source: Hot News
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