this post was submitted on 13 Sep 2023
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Poland will continue to block Ukrainian grain whatever the EU commission decides (rmx.news)
submitted 1 year ago by Voyager@psychedelia.ink to c/worldnews@lemmy.ml
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Poland would not hesitate to issue an order to block the import of Ukrainian grain if the European Commission refused to extend the grain embargo on Ukraine, according to Polish Development Minister Waldemar Buda.

Currently, the European Commission has given the green light to five EU member states who have placed a grain embargo on Ukraine, but Buda said during an interview with public radio PR 24 that he feared the EU commission was likely to end the embargo.

Nevertheless, the Polish government indicates it cannot allow Ukrainian grain imports at a time when Polish farmers have just completed their harvest and need to sell their produce. The grain embargo on Ukrainian products containing wheat, corn, rapeseed, and sunflower imposed by Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia was agreed by the European Commission at the beginning of May. It was to last until June but was extended by the EU commission until Sept. 15.

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[–] Miernix@programming.dev 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Grain is another matter, a controversial one, and unfortunately, also has to do with the elections. But you also have to understand the Polish farmers who make their living from these grain sales and suddenly their source of income has disappeared because the Polish market has been flooded with supplies from the east. I am not a supporter of this embargo, but I am aware that the issue is complex and that it cannot all be reduced to "Poland is Ukraine’s friend only on paper."

[–] Aux@lemmy.world -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah, grain is definitely a different matter, because food exports are a big part of the Ukrainian economy and this part was decimated by Putin. If they can't export their grain now, then there's no point helping Ukraine at all anymore. It's one thing to impose reasonable limitations on grain imports, but a completely different thing to completely ban it. And it doesn't matter how much volunteering you did personally. It's like making one step forward and then running a marathon backwards.

[–] Miernix@programming.dev 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yes, I can agree to some extent. I just want you to understand why this is not so obviously evil move of Poland. Grain export to Poland alone has not been a huge part of Ukrainian economy. To show the scale, when we compare year 2021 and 2022, the import of wheat is 168 times bigger and for corn its almost 300x. And in 2023 it was still growing. There were just no way for Polish farmers to sell their own crops

[–] Aux@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Look, I have a great solution for you, guys. Make vodka from your grain and sell it to Russia. That will deprive Putin from foreign currency and will keep their population fucked and unable to wage war.