BAN
Hungary, which had already announced the import ban on Ukrainian grain accused of destabilizing the national market, will also apply the measure to dozens of agricultural and food products from Wednesday. According to a decree published last night in the Official Gazette, flour, honey, wine, bread, meat and vegetables from Kiev may no longer be sold on Hungarian soil, in addition to grain and oilseeds. These restrictions apply until June 30th.
The government of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban passed a grain ban in Poland’s wake on Saturday to protect its farmers. This decision was classified as “unacceptable” by the European Commission. Slovakia also took a similar step, while Bulgaria is expected to make an announcement on Wednesday.
The European Union had suspended tariffs on all products imported from Ukraine for a year in May 2022 and organized to allow it to export its grain stocks after the sea routes were closed by sea caused by the Russian invasion. But instead of a simple transit, logistical problems mean that corn, wheat or sunflowers from Ukraine are piling up on the soil of neighboring European countries, which has led to a collapse in local prices.