Kyiv considers Warsaw’s decision to ban the sale of Ukrainian agricultural products in Poland “unjustified” and “illegal” and warns that Russia is already using this situation to increase pressure on the Ukrainian economy by blocking the export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea Corridor, EFE reported on Wednesday.

“For us, these measures are unjustified and illegal,” said in an interview with EFE the head of trade of the Ukrainian government, Taras Katsyka, who explained that Ukraine is working with the European Commission to “return to normal life” and that agricultural products can be sold to Ukrainians again in to the whole neighborhood of the community.

Katsika, who is also deputy economy minister, linked Russia’s blocking of vessels using the corridor agreed with Kyiv to export Ukrainian grain to a trade dispute with Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania, which have taken similar measures.

“Russia is eating popcorn while watching what is happening on our western border and enjoying our dispute with Poland,” Katsika said.

“As soon as this situation arose, Russia paralyzed the operation of the corridor and now says that it will not continue the agreement” that allows the export of grain through the Black Sea, added the Ukrainian deputy minister. “All they (Russians) want.” increase the pressure,” he said.

Hypocritical attitude

Apart from accusations that the unilateral closure of EU national markets for Ukrainian products violates the bilateral agreements signed by Ukraine and agreements with Brussels, Kyiv has a different opinion regarding the analysis of the situation that led to taking measures against its exports. by their neighbors to the west.

The governments of these countries argue that the large volume of cheap Ukrainian products entering their markets, since Ukraine was forced to transport most of its pre-war production by land transport, is seriously affecting their agricultural sectors.

To calm the anger of its farmers and put an end to market distortions, Poland initially banned the import of Ukrainian agricultural products into its territory, but later reversed this decision and allowed transit, but not the sale of these goods within the country.

Similar measures were taken by Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania, reminds EFE.

“This seems like a hypocritical position to us, because agriculture is also vegetables, dairy products, pork, chicken, and Poland managed to increase the export of meat and dairy products to other countries thanks to access to cheap Ukrainian corn,” Katsika says.

The government’s trade representative in Kyiv, however, admits that in January-February, with the beginning of the grain export season, the arrival of Ukrainian grain saturated the Polish market and affected local producers.

Katsika, however, assures that this “backlog” is a consequence of calendar cycles of harvesting. In his opinion, the problem has already been solved, and farmers in Poland and other neighboring countries can sell their products again.

“Grain buyers say they want to buy, but Polish farmers don’t sell because the Polish government promised them subsidies and extra payments for every ton sold, but in reality the executive has no money to pay them,” he said. explains the representative of the Kyiv executive power.

According to Katsyka, the solution may be the money that the European Commission is ready to allocate to these farmers in exchange for the restoration of the markets of Poland and other EU countries neighboring Ukraine for Ukrainian products.

A political issue

Kaczyka also notes that many Polish farmers chose not to sell when prices doubled due to the uncertainty caused by the war, believing that these prices would continue to rise.

“The price is back to pre-war levels, (farmers) are struggling and it’s been frustrating,” he says.

Kaczyka believes that the problem that has begun to manifest itself in Poland is more political than commercial, and is related to the general elections that are to be held in Poland next autumn.

Even Ukraine cannot react to events based purely on economic criteria.

“Under normal circumstances, I would immediately block the very same Polish products that Poland is blocking us, this would significantly affect Polish farmers and we would again come to the conclusion that trade is good. But we are in a state of war, we receive a lot of support from Poland, and we will not take revenge,” Katsika concluded.