Poland Extends Ban on Ukrainian Grain Imports

Poland has decided to extend its one-sided ban on imports of Ukrainian grain, even as the current restrictions imposed by the European Union are set to expire on September 15.

The Polish government stated in a press release that "regardless of any additional decision by the [European] Commission, we will not open our borders to Ukrainian grain after that date."

Poland has expressed its desire to see the ban extended at the EU level, but it is willing to maintain it independently if necessary, underlining that "if Brussels does not uphold the ban, we will enact these measures ourselves... the interests of Polish rural areas are paramount to us."

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine and disruptions in Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea have made the European Union a major transit route and export destination for Ukrainian grain.

Last June, the EU approved restrictions on grain imports from Ukraine into five member states seeking to safeguard their farmers, who blamed these imports for the decline in local market prices.