Polish farmers to block Ukrainian agricultural exports by rail

Polish farmers intend to block the export of Ukrainian agricultural goods by rail. They plan to hinder the transfer of goods from rail to road transport on the Polish side of the border. Protests against the import and transit of Ukrainian agricultural goods by road have been taking place for months, but will now also target rail transportation.

Polish farmers are unhappy with lifted EU-restrictions on the import of Ukrainian goods. The cancellation of these restrictions aims at helping Ukraine’s economy during wartime, but Polish farmers say that it unfairly hurts their business. Ukrainian agricultural products are much cheaper than Polish-produced goods. Consequently, they out-compete Polish farmers.

Rail blockade

After a pause in the protest blockades following a compensation deal with the Polish government, Polish farmers announced new border blockades on 9 February. This time around, the blockades will also target rail transportation of Ukrainian agricultural goods. At the Hrubieszów logistics terminal, farmers plan to hinder the transfer of agricultural produce from rail to road transport for the first time.

In 2023, Poland already banned the import of grain and several other Ukrainian products. Regardless, Polish farmers remain concerned about the import of other incoming agricultural products, such as poultry and sugar. The newly announced blockades are a reaction to the ‘passivity of the Polish authorities’, according to the Solidarity trade union.

The transit of Ukrainian goods banned from import continues. In 2024, 4,100 railway wagons with Ukrainian agricultural goods have already transited through Poland, as well as 550 trucks. The new blockades may hinder the transit of Ukrainian goods through Poland, which also transit through the targeted Hrubieszów terminal.

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