Soon after Poland announced a ban on grain and other food imports from Ukraine to protect the local agricultural sector, Hungary followed suit. Both governments took the measure after an avalanche of supply depressed prices in the region, Reuters reported.

Ukraine expressed regret in connection with Poland’s decision, noting that “resolving various issues through drastic unilateral actions will not speed up a positive resolution of the situation.”

After Russia’s invasion blocked some Black Sea ports, large volumes of Ukrainian grain, which is cheaper than that produced in the European Union, found its way into Central European countries because of logistics, price and sales bottlenecks for local farmers.

“We remain friends of Ukraine”

In a letter to the European Commission last month, the prime ministers of five eastern European countries reported unprecedented growth in products such as grains, oilseeds, eggs, poultry and sugar and said they should consider tariffs on import of Ukrainian agricultural products.

The impact of oversupply has created a political problem for Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party in an election year and an economy mired in stagflation.

“Today, the government adopted a resolution that prohibits the entry and import of grain to Poland, as well as dozens of other types of food (from Ukraine),” leader Yaroslav Kaczyński said at a party meeting. The list of these goods, which will be “from cereals to honey products and much, much more”, will be included in the government’s resolution, he added.

Kaczynski said: “We are and remain unchanged friends and allies of Ukraine. We will support and support. … But it is the duty of every state, every power, in any case, the competent power to protect the interests of its citizens.” Kaczynski also stated that Poland is ready to start negotiations with Ukraine to resolve the grain problem.

Budapest is waiting for changes in the EU

The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine stated that the Polish ban contradicts existing bilateral agreements on exports, and called for negotiations to resolve this issue.

“We understand that Polish farmers are in a difficult situation, but we emphasize that Ukrainian farmers are currently in the most difficult situation,” the message reads.

Later on Saturday, the government of Hungarian nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán joined the ban, saying the status quo would seriously harm local farmers.

Hungary did not say when the ban on grain and other food imports would take effect, but said it would end at the end of June.

The government in Budapest stated that it hopes for changes in regulation at the EU level, in particular, a review of the abolition of import duties on Ukrainian products. (Agerpress)