Ban on Ukrainian food covers imports and transit says Polish official

Poland's ban on Ukrainian food applies both to its imports to this country and its transit through Poland, the Polish development and technology minister has said.

The Polish government on Saturday authorised the agriculture and development ministers to implement a temporary ban on Ukrainian food amid protests by Polish farmers who are angry about depressed prices and problems in selling their grain and other produce. The ban is to be in force until June 30.

Poland made the decision to protect its local agricultural sector.

"...the ban has a full nature, it also concerns transit through Poland," Minister Waldemar Buda wrote on Twitter on Sunday.

"The issue of transit will be discussed with the Ukrainian side in order to build a sealed system and secure guarantees that banned products will only transit through Poland," Buda added.

Polish farmers have held protests across the country, complaining against the inability to sell their grain as storage space has already been taken by cheaper Ukrainian grain. The imports, which were originally planned to be sent further to the Middle East and Africa, ended up in Poland depressing local prices. Similar problems have affected other agricultural products as well, including poultry and eggs.