Slovakia, along with Poland and other European Union countries that share a border with Ukraine, is calling for the establishment of a special fund to support its farmers. This move comes in response to the increase in imports of agricultural products from Ukraine, which negatively impacts the local agricultural sector.
This is reported by Business • Media
Significant Increase in Quotas for Ukrainian Goods
The Minister of Agriculture of the Slovak Republic, Richard Takac, reported that the European Commission plans to further expand the quotas for the import of agricultural products from Ukraine by 25%, and for products such as honey and sugar, the quotas could increase by 400–500%. This means that even more Ukrainian goods will enter the EU single market duty-free, creating additional pressure on local farmers.
“One issue is the quantity, another is the quality of goods and safety, as European farmers must adhere to strict standards, which Ukrainian farmers do not,” he explained.
Support for Bordering Countries
Richard Takac noted that Western European countries do not feel the same pressure from Ukrainian imports, as most goods remain in the countries bordering Ukraine. It is economically unfeasible for Ukrainian exporters to transport products to distant Western European markets, so the main flow of goods is directed towards neighboring states.
He proposed the creation of a special fund aimed at supporting agricultural producers and farmers in these countries to compensate for potential losses and shortages caused by the increase in imports from Ukraine. Takac added that he has already reached preliminary agreements on joint actions with the Polish Minister of Agriculture, and all neighboring countries of Ukraine should work together to implement this initiative.