Polish Agriculture Minister Henryk Kowalczyk resigned Wednesday after farmers protested decreasing prices of Ukrainian grain imports.
Kowalczyk resigned when the European Commission extended duty-free grain imports from Ukraine until June 2024. Polish farmers demanded tariffs.
“Because it is apparent that the European Commission will not satisfy this demand at this moment,” Kowalczk resigned as agricultural minister.
Logistics have allowed large supplies of Ukrainian wheat, cheaper than EU grains, to wind up in Central European states, harming local farmers and giving Poland’s ruling nationalists Law and Justice (PiS) an election-year problem.
Five prime ministers—including Poland—wrote to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday to seek action on Ukrainian agricultural imports.
If Ukraine’s grain and other products continue, tariffs may return.
Comment Template