Europe News Desk!! Hungary has joined Poland in banning the import of grain and other food products from Ukraine in an effort to protect its domestic agricultural industry. Official sources gave this information. The ban, announced late Saturday by Hungary’s agriculture ministry, is temporary and will last until June 30, Xinhua news agency reported. Ukraine’s grain exports have been forced to take an alternative route through the European Union (EU), as Russia has blocked access to the Black Sea. Agriculture Minister István Nagy announced the ban on Facebook, saying that the Hungarian government is committed to representing the interests of its farming community.
The ministry statement said that in the absence of meaningful measures from the European Union, Hungary, like Poland, is temporarily banning the import of grain, oilseeds and a number of other agricultural products from Ukraine. Poland on Saturday announced a temporary ban on several Ukrainian foods following protests by Polish farmers. The Hungarian ministry stated that the continuation of the current domestic market procedures would cause serious damage to Hungarian agriculture, therefore extraordinary measures should be taken to prevent them. The statement cited cheap production practices not allowed in the EU, as well as duty-free and free trade opportunities, which allowed Ukrainian poultry, eggs and honey in large quantities to enter the European market Which is making it difficult in the domestic and central market.
–IANS
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SGK