The EU exaggerates the problem of Ukrainian grain: the Minister announced specific figures

European Union (EU) countries exaggerate the scale of the problem of Ukrainian exports. After all, since the beginning of 2024, Ukraine has exported only 2 million out of 17 million tons of agricultural products by land across its western borders. And several goods do not remain in Europe at all due to the current trade bans.

This was stated by the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Mykola Solskyi during the EU Council on Agriculture, the press service of the ministry reports. "If we analyze the figures as of today, it turns out that we are discussing much smaller problems. Unfortunately, the Ukrainian agricultural sector has become the object of negative myths that have no economic basis but are mostly the product of political conditions... Any restrictions only weaken Ukraine economically and directly distance the main goal – our common victory over Russia in this war," Solskyi said.

According to the minister, since the beginning of 2024, about 12 million tons of 17 million tons of agricultural exports have passed through the ports of Greater Odesa. Almost 3 million tons were shipped by the Danube, while only 2 million tons were transported by land, and that was mainly by rail, not by car.

"We transit through Poland for a month as much as we export through Ukrainian seaports in one day. Now the cost of exports from Ukraine by sea is much more competitive than by land," Solskyi said.

Overall, Ukraine's grain exports to the EU have returned to the level of 2022. For almost a year, Ukraine has not been supplying wheat, sunflower, corn, and rapeseed to neighboring countries. At the same time, supplies from Ukraine do not affect EU markets and sometimes play a role in stabilizing prices.

In particular, the share of Ukrainian poultry and eggs in total EU consumption is less than 2% and 1%, respectively. The price of sugar in the EU is still much higher than it was before the full-scale invasion. But if Ukrainian sugar is removed from the market, the price will rise, Solsky emphasized.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, Ukraine lost UAH 7.7 billion in February 2024 alone due to the blockade of the border by Polish farmers, an amount comparable to the cost of 385 thousand FPV drones. These funds were supposed to go to the state budget and be fully used to finance security and defense, as well as other customs revenues.

At the same time, Polish farmers extended the blockade of the border with Ukraine for almost 2 months – until April 30. Previously, they intended to end it on March 10.

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