The search for additional financing for the export of Ukrainian grain to other parts of the infrastructure of Europe can be a compromise solution between Ukraine and the EU. It will help to protect the interests of European farmers and facilitate the transit of Ukrainian grain to international markets, said Alona Lebedіeva, the owner of the Ukrainian multidisciplinary Industrial and Investment group of companies Aurum Group.
“In my opinion, the issue of the Ukrainian grain embargo is a matter of negotiations that took place earlier. Despite the fact that the percentage of products from Ukraine that were sold on the territory of the EU was recognized as small, for the small volume of the European agricultural market, even such a flow caused a serious crisis among local farmers, – noted Alona Lebedieva, – European farmers need guarantees that we do not collapse the market, but supply grain to end consumers in Africa and the Middle East. On the other hand, high transport costs led to the fact that goods from Ukraine settled in the EU.“
The owner of Aurum Group, Alona Lebedіeva, stated the need for further dialogue and support of Ukraine by the countries of the European Union: “Ukraine pays too high a price every day in the fight against the enemy. This price is measured in priceless human lives. And this cannot be underestimated. Therefore, I believe that compromise solutions will ultimately be found. Search for funding by the international community, which would make it possible to receive full compensation for grain transportation to European ports, that are located further from the borders with Ukraine (so that the grain is not sold to traders on the border with the EU), can be difficult, however, one of such decisions“.
As it was mentioned earlier, a number of agricultural enterprises (more than 12,000 lands) in the Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv regions, which are managed by the Ukrainian multidisciplinary Industrial and Investment group of companies Aurum Group, still remain under occupation.
According to the European Commission, thanks to the “lines of solidarity” Ukraine was able to carry out 60% of its exports, while 40% can be exported through sea ports.
The current embargo on the import of four types of Ukrainian agricultural products to five European countries – Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Romania – was introduced at the beginning of May. At the beginning of June, the EU extended restrictive measures until mid-September.
On Tuesday, September 12, MEPs discussed with the Commission the impact of Ukrainian grain exports on EU farmers after Russia’s with drawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
Also, the Government of Poland issued an official appeal to the European Commission with a call to extend the ban on the import of grain and three other types of agricultural products from Ukraine until the end of the year.