EU agriculture commissioner backs extension of Ukrainian grain ban

The EU commissioner for agriculture has supported the extension by the end of 2023 of a ban on imports of Ukrainian grain to five frontline countries, including Poland.

He also suggested that Ukrainian grain exporters should be subsidised.

On April 28, the EC reached an agreement with Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia on restrictions on imports of Ukrainian agri-food products, and on May 2 it announced the adoption of a temporary ban regarding imports of wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower seeds from Ukraine. Last month it prolonged the ban until September 15.

Janusz Wojciechowski, the EU commissioner, told the European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) on Thursday that he backed the extension of the current measures, under which Ukrainian grain could move through the territory of the five frontline countries to other parts of the world, according to the EUobserver.

Wojciechowski also said that the EU should consider subsidising the cost of the transit of Ukrainian grain to seaports such as the Baltics. This proposal, he said, has the support of the five frontline countries, the portal wrote.

He added that this had not yet been the official proposal of the European Commission.