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Ukraine aims to reopen food and grain transport via Poland as “a first step” towards ending import bans during talks in Warsaw on Monday, after countries banned the entry of Ukrainian grain to protect their local agricultural markets from an influx of supply.
Poland and Hungary announced bans on some Ukrainian grain imports on Saturday. Slovakia said on Monday it would do the same and other countries in Central and Eastern Europe said they were also considering action.
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Some Black Sea ports were blocked after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February last year and large quantities of Ukrainian grains — which are cheaper than those produced in the European Union — ended up in Central European countries due to logistical problems. .
Local farmers say this has lowered prices and reduced their sales, and governments have called on the European Union to act.
“The first step, in our opinion, should be the opening of traffic, because it is very important and it is something that must be done unconditionally and after that we will talk about other things,” said Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Mykola Solsky.
About 10% of Ukraine's food exports cross the Polish border, Solsky said in comments published on the messaging app Telegram by the Ministry of Agriculture. Deliveries to Hungary accounted for around 6% of Ukraine's agricultural exports, he said.
Ukraine will hold additional talks in Romania on Wednesday and in Slovakia on Thursday, Solsky added.
Poland's embargo, in force since Saturday night, also applies to transit through the country to prevent grain transport from entering the Polish market.
“The ultimate goal is not for the import ban to be in place indefinitely, but to ensure that grain from Ukraine, which will be exported, goes (where it is going),” said Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Pawel Jablonski , to the radio station RMF.
Source: Pavel Polityuk and Pawel Florkiewicz | Notícias Agrícolas
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