Polish farmers will organise new blockades of Ukrainian freight. This time around, they will block all border crossings between Poland and Ukraine, seaports and rail hubs. The intensified blockades are supposed to start on 20 February.
Polish farmers are protesting the relaxation of import and transit restrictions on Ukrainian goods by the EU. The lifting of restrictions is aimed at supporting Ukraine’s wartime economy. Polish farmers say that Ukraine’s cheaper agricultural products are out-competing their own, undermining their profitability.
After a brief pause in the protest blockades following a January compensation deal with the Polish government, Polish farmers returned to their blockades on 9 February. Now, the blockades also target rail transportation of Ukrainian agricultural goods. Those protesting said that they aim to undermine the rail hub at Hrubieszów.
Escalation
The independent agricultural trade union ‘Solidarity’ has announced an escalation of protest activities. From 20 February onwards, the protests will attempt to block the inflow of Ukrainian goods into Poland completely. Farmers aim to block all border crossings, rail hubs, seaports and other transport hubs.
Poland already banned the import of grain and several other Ukrainian products after earlier protests in 2023 but continues to allow its transit. Regardless, Polish farmers remain concerned about the import of other incoming agricultural products, such as poultry and sugar. According to the Solidarity trade union, the renewed blockades are a reaction to the ‘passivity of the Polish authorities’.
The blockades have the potential to undermine Ukrainian exports. In 2024, over four thousand railway wagons carrying Ukrainian agricultural goods and over 550 trucks have already transited through Poland.
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