Poland calls on the EU to expand port capacity to facilitate the supply of Ukrainian grain

Poland calls on the EU to expand port capacity to facilitate the supply of Ukrainian grain across the Baltic Sea. Polish Minister of Agriculture Robert Telus said that the growth of Ukrainian grain supplies through Polish ports prompts additional measures to increase the productivity of port infrastructure.

Exports of Ukrainian grain through Polish ports increased to 260 thousand tons in June, more than doubling compared to the previous periods of this year. This trend is likely to continue, given Russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea grain deal, forcing Ukraine to look for alternative routes.

In order to support Ukraine in increasing grain transit, Poland is considering the possibility of building agro-ports specialized in grain transportation. Poland is already talking with Lithuania about transferring phytosanitary control to Lithuanian ports, which is aimed at speeding up the transit of Ukrainian grain.

Robert Telus emphasized that although terminals in the Baltic Sea are an alternative, the main flow of cargo will be through southern ports.

Poland does not plan to lift its domestic ban on grain sales from Ukraine, which will remain in effect until mid-September. This could cause a conflict between Poland and the EU, as Ukraine has called on the EU to lift restrictions that do not apply to goods transiting through Polish territory.

Minister Telus suggested that real transit corridors should be created to help Ukrainian products reach the European market.

Despite the removal of the glut caused by a sharp increase in imports from Ukraine earlier this year, Telus predicts that warehouses will quickly fill up as prices remain low and Polish farmers are harvesting the 2023 crop. However, he noted that the risk of running out of grain stocks in Poland is low for now, and therefore lifting the sales ban will not be a wound.