An opinion: Poland should allow transit of Ukrainian grain through ports

The President of the Grain Chamber of Poland said that the Republic of Poland can maintain the blockade on the import of Ukrainian grain, but transit should be allowed.

This was stated by the president of the Polish Grain and Fodder Chamber, Monika Piontkowska, in an interview with farmer.pl.

According to her, today it is better to maintain the blockade of the import of Ukrainian grain.

“When it comes to transit, we could implement it to a certain extent and thus help Ukraine when we have free processing capacity in Polish ports,” Monika Piontkowska said.

She also added that in the first quarter of 2024, Polish ports were not 100% loaded.

“We have to conclude that our port and railway infrastructure is ineffective. Now is the time to expand it. I believe that we have overslept the last two years in this context. Romania received funds from the European Union, is expanding its infrastructure, and Poland has not yet done so,” emphasized Monika Piontkovska.

Read also: Poland will not be able to solve the “grain issue” with Ukraine on its own.

In her opinion, Poland should show both Ukraine and the international community that it wants to help effectively, but, on the other hand, firmly defends the interests of the Polish farmer.

“The sooner we reach an understanding, the sooner we develop mechanisms, the less difficult the atmosphere will be, which can hinder our broader cooperation not only with Ukraine, but also in the European arena,” concluded the president of the Polish Grain Chamber.

As previously reported by USM, Poland and Ukraine plan to develop a grain export licensing mechanism.