Brussels | Reuters — The European Commission said on Tuesday it set restrictions until June 5 on imports of Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seed to ease the excess supply of these grains in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.
The EU executive arm said that during that period, Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seed can be sold to any other of country of the 27-nation bloc, except to the five countries, which had complained the cheaper Ukrainian grain was making domestic production unprofitable.
The EU had earlier liberalized all imports from Ukraine to help the country’s efforts to fend off the Russian invasion. The five countries became transit routes for Ukrainian grain that could not be exported through the country’s Black Sea ports because of the war.
Read Also
Feed Grains Weekly: Price likely to keep stepping back
As the harvest in southern Alberta presses on, a broker said that is one of the factors pulling feed prices lower in the region. Darcy Haley, vice-president of Ag Value Brokers in Lethbridge, added that lower cattle numbers in feedlots, plentiful amounts of grass for cattle to graze and a lacklustre export market also weighed on feed prices.
“The products can continue to circulate in or transit via these five member states by means of a common customs transit procedure or go to a country or territory outside the EU,” the Commission said.
With the Commission restrictions in place, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia agreed to lift their unilateral bans for entry of Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seed they had imposed earlier to protect their farmers.
The Commission’s measures also include a support package worth 100 million euros (C$149.95 million) for local farmers in the most affected five EU countries.
The Commission, which is responsible for trade policy in the European Union, said it could extend the grain import restrictions beyond June 5 if exceptional conditions continue.
— Reporting for Reuters by Jan Strupczewski.
