On 14 July 2023, on the initiative of Mr. Robert Telus, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, a video meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture of Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary was held to address preventive measures on soft fruit imports from Ukraine.

The problem of excessive imports

“In 2022 and in the first months of 2023, the imports of Ukrainian strawberries and frozen raspberries to Poland grew very substantially. This causes huge difficulties for Polish producers and very severe market disturbances. This problem is absent in the other countries of our coalition. Therefore, Poland has decided to submit a request to Mr. Valdis Dombrovskis, EU Commissioner for Trade, for the adoption of so-called preventive measures on frozen raspberries and strawberries, i.e. a ban on their imports from Ukraine,” Minister Robert Telus informed. A letter on this matter, signed by the Minister of Economic Development and Technology, is expected to be submitted to the European Commission soon.

The coalition of frontline states

Minister Robert Telus stressed that an intensive dialogue of five frontline states, which had been affected to the greatest extent by the market disturbances caused by increased imports of agricultural products from Ukraine, was the highest priority for Poland.

“We are keen to engage in permanent, regular cooperation. We must speak with one voice in defence of our farmers’ interests and demonstrate this unity. This makes us strong and then our voice can be heard,“ Minister Robert Telus pointed out.

The meeting in Warsaw

On 19 July 2023, Minister Robert Telus will organise a meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture of Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Moldova in Warsaw. The meeting will address the situation on the agricultural markets caused by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the possible measures to ensure fair terms of competition for farmers in the EU Member States and the Candidate States. The Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine has also been invited to participate in the talks in Warsaw.