Farmers are ready to block Polish trucks from entering Ukraine

Ukrainian farmers declare their readiness to block the entry of Polish trucks into Ukraine starting June 10.

According to Ukrinform, this was reported by the press service of the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council.

The public union "All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council" and the Association of Milk Producers announced "their intention to hold a strike in response to the protest launched by Polish farmers against the transit of domestic agricultural products through the territory of Poland."

"In protest against the actions of Polish agricultural producers who went on strike and blocked the Dorohusk-Yagodyn checkpoint for cargoes with Ukrainian grain, domestic agricultural producers decided to act in a mirror image," the statement said.

The farmers are going to block the movement of Polish trucks through four international checkpoints on the border with Poland: "Dorohusk-Yagodyn, Krakivets-Korchova, Rava-Ruska, and Shehyni-Medyka.

"The campaign will begin on June 10 at 10:00 and will last until 00:00 on June 14," the statement said.

The event is explained by "the categorical disagreement of Ukrainian farmers with the actions of the Polish side, which unilaterally, in violation of the EU trade rules and the decision of the European Commission to resume the transit of Ukrainian agricultural products, continue to physically block trucks from Ukraine to Poland."

As reported by Ukrinform, as of June 9, truck traffic through the Yahodyn-Dorohusk checkpoint was blocked due to a strike by Polish farmers. This was reported by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

In May 2023, the European Commission banned imports of wheat, corn, rapeseed, and sunflower from Ukraine to Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Romania. On June 5, the ban was extended until September 15, 2023. The reason for the ban was farmers' protests and the need to prevent market disruptions and losses to producers suffering from low prices amid increased grain exports from Ukraine under the EU's Autonomous Trade Measures and Solidarity Pathways Initiative.

Author - Serhii Kolomiets, 10/06/2023