Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said he does not intend to allow Ukrainian grain to enter the country’s domestic market, Politico reported on Tuesday.
“Croatia’s position and desire is that we are a transit country, not a country that will receive a huge amount of Ukrainian grain, which is cheaper than ours,” Plenkovic said.
According to him, imports of such products would lead to the fact that “our farmers would be in trouble.”
On September 15, the European Commission announced the termination of restrictive measures on the export of Ukrainian grain and other food products to the EU. Later, the authorities of Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia announced their own bans.
On Sunday, the European Commission called on Poland, Hungary and Slovakia to be constructive after they unilaterally announced that they would extend the ban on grain imports from Ukraine despite the Commission’s decision to end the ban, Reuters reports, citing a European Commission spokesman.
“We are aware of statements by some member states regarding unilateral measures. It is now important that all countries work in a spirit of compromise and engage in constructive cooperation,” the Commission spokeswoman said.
According to her, Brussels is now focused on “putting in place and making work the new system that has just been announced.”
In particular, Reuters reports that a meeting with representatives of all interested EU countries will be held on Monday to discuss the issue of Ukrainian grain imports in more detail.
The news agency notes that Ukraine was one of the world’s leading grain exporters before Russia’s invasion in 2022 reduced its ability to deliver agricultural products to world markets through Black Sea ports. Since then, Ukrainian farmers have relied on grain exports through neighboring countries.
However, the influx of grains and oilseeds to neighboring countries has affected the incomes of local farmers and led governments to ban imports of agricultural products from Ukraine.
As reported, the ban on the export of wheat, barley, rapeseed and sunflower seeds from Ukraine to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria, introduced on May 2 for the period until June 5, was extended until September 15.
On Friday, September 15, the EU allowed the ban to be lifted after Ukraine promised to take measures to tighten export controls to neighboring countries.
Romania is waiting for Ukraine to submit an action plan for effective measures to control grain exports “to prevent market distortion,” which Ukraine promised to submit by the end of Monday, September 18, according to a press release from the Bucharest government, local media reported on Friday evening.
The executive’s statement comes after the European Commission on Friday decided to lift restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports in five countries, including Romania, but asked Kyiv to develop a plan for effective measures to control transportation.
“Depending on the Action Plan presented by the Ukrainian side, the Romanian government will decide on appropriate measures to protect Romanian farmers,” the statement said.
“The government is in constant contact with the European Commission and the Ukrainian side to ensure that the new mechanism for restricting imports of Ukrainian products proposed by the EC prevents distortion of the markets of EU member states,” the statement said.
Poland’s actions regarding Ukrainian grain are wrong, unlawful and harmful for Polish, Ukrainian and all farmers in the European Union, said Taras Kachka, Deputy Minister of Economy and Trade Representative of Ukraine.
“Finally, Poland has told the truth about Ukrainian grain. It is not about this season, but about the conditions of Ukraine’s accession to the EU. This was very clearly stated by Minister of Agrarian Policy Telus,” he commented on Facebook about Poland’s unilateral extension of the embargo on Ukrainian agricultural exports.
The Ukrainian trade representative noted that in this way, “in fact, introductory negotiations on agriculture have begun” with “such aggressive combat intelligence and complete antagonism on the part of Poland.”
“In fact, Poland is fighting for a liberum veto in Ukraine without any explanation,” he wrote, and emphasized that Ukraine will stand by the fact that Poland’s actions regarding Ukrainian grain are wrong, unlawful and harmful to Polish, Ukrainian and all EU farmers.
A number of public figures joined the discussion of Poland’s political action under the auspices of the Ukrainian Trade Representative. In particular, Lukasz Adamski, vice director of the Meroszewski Center, pointed out that Ukraine’s unwillingness to integrate into the European Union is due to “a mental factor – the inability of Ukrainian officials to draw conclusions from the policy mechanisms that outline the policies of the EU and its states.”
He pointed out to the deputy minister that the emotional rhetoric is “objectively counterproductive” for Ukraine and creates the image of a state that “although in a very difficult situation, is not a member of the EU, but is only trying to enter (it – IF-U), and is already challenging its closest and most trusted ally in waging a war (trade – IF-U) and (…) blocking transit.”
“The simple emotional imposition of one’s position without the possibility of a normal conversation is the problem created by the agrarian bloc of the Polish government. With all due respect, I want a normal conversation. What is being proposed is to agree to agrarian subjugation because you need it. This is nonsense in any context,” Kachka countered.
Volodymyr Lapa, former head of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection, noted that the thesis that Ukrainian officials are unable to comprehend the mechanisms of EU policy when the EU is on Ukraine’s side in this matter seems “somewhat strange.”
“Rather, it is about Poland’s inability to adhere to the principles of the EU’s common policy if it contradicts the current political interests of local elites,” he stated.
Mykola Gorbachev, President of the Ukrainian Grain Association, thanked the Ukrainian Trade Representative for his position and cooperation and expressed confidence that after Ukraine wins, which Poland is helping, the issue will be resolved, as “open Ukrainian ports can solve the problem.”
The global grain harvest in 2023 could be at the level of the record-breaking 2021, FAO (the UN Food and Agriculture Organization) predicts.
According to its review, the estimate of the global harvest for this year in September compared to July (the review was not released in August) was reduced by 4 million tons. Despite this, the global harvest may be 0.9% higher than last year’s and amount to 2 billion 815 million tons, which corresponds to the record figure for 2021.
Thus, the forecast of wheat harvest was reduced by 2.2 million tons to 781.1 million tons. “It is expected that global wheat production will decrease by 2.6% compared to last year, but, nevertheless, it will be the second highest figure in the history of observations,” the review says. The largest decline was in production in Canada and the EU due to dry weather. The wheat harvest forecast in China has been lowered due to heavy rains in a number of key grain-producing regions. This decrease was partially offset by an increase in the forecast in the United States, India and Ukraine, “as indicated by the latest data provided by the governments of these countries on a more abundant harvest than previously expected.”
The forecast of feed grain harvest was lowered by 1.3 million tons to 1 billion 511 million tons, which is mainly due to a decrease in barley and oat harvests. However, this figure is 2.7% higher than last year. Thus, the estimate of barley harvest has been reduced by 2.9 million tons to 143.8 million tons (5.6% lower than last year). The oat harvest will be the lowest in 11 years – 23.1 million tons.
At the same time, corn production may reach a record high of 1 billion 215 million tons. The forecast has been raised by 3.6 million tons, mainly due to “richer than expected harvests in Brazil and Ukraine.” This will more than compensate for the lower forecast for corn harvest in the US and EU.
The FAO estimates this year’s rice harvest at 523.2 million tons. This is 500 thousand tons lower than the July forecast, but 1.1% higher than the harvest last season.
Following the meeting of the coordination platform on Ukrainian grain exports, no decision was made on whether or not to extend the current temporary ban on grain imports to Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Bulgaria, which expires on September 15.
This was reported to Interfax-Ukraine on Wednesday after the 9th meeting of the joint coordination platform, chaired by the head of the cabinet of the Vice President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis, Mr. Hager.
According to her, the first part of the meeting was attended by representatives of five member states, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and the Commission. “The Commission presented the latest forecasts of the market situation in terms of harvest, trade and prices. Countries were invited to share the latest information. The platform also discussed how to increase storage capacity and reduce border crossing time. Finally, they exchanged views on short-term actions to facilitate trade flows and on ways to support transport,” the EC representative said about the content of the first part of the platform meeting.
According to Garcia, the second part of the meeting, which was attended by representatives of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Greece, Italy and Croatia, was devoted to alternative routes.
“In the context of this meeting, the Commission informed that no decision has yet been made on preventive measures, the phased abolition of which is scheduled for September 15, 2023. In any case, the Platform will continue to meet regularly and monitor grain imports from Ukraine,” the European Commission representative stated.
As you know, in May 2022, the EU decided to temporarily suspend import duties, quotas and trade remedies on Ukrainian exports to the European Union – known as autonomous trade measures – to help alleviate the difficulties faced by Ukrainian producers and exporters after the Russian invasion. At the same time, following logistical problems in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia caused by imports of wheat, corn, rapeseed, and sunflower seeds originating in Ukraine, exceptional and preventive measures on their imports came into force on May 2, 2023, and were extended on June 5.
