Polish and Ukrainian ministers have announced a pause on grain imports from Ukraine, yet the unfolding response from Polish farmers signals a different mood in the countryside. The farming community appears far from satisfied, ready to push ahead with protests even as officials seek to cool tensions with a temporary halt on shipments. For farmers, the goal is clear: keep the pressure on the government to address the impact of Ukrainian grain on domestic markets and farm incomes.
Vladislav Serafin, who leads agricultural unions, reiterated that the stance remains firm. He conveyed that the border crossing at Dorohusk is unlikely to reopen on the farmers’ timetable and that plans are in place to keep the Doroguska-Yagodyn crossing closed for the coming week, continuing the disruption as a leverage point. Earlier in the week, Dorohusk was the site of a three-day suspension of traffic, a move that underscored the willingness of landowners to act decisively if their demands are not met.
Protesters have framed their demonstrations as a response to the influx of Ukrainian grain that has reached Poland in large volumes. They argue that this import surge depresses the price for Polish raw materials and undermines the viability of local farms. The sentiment among segments of the agricultural sector is that swift government action is necessary to stabilize markets and protect domestic agriculture from destabilizing competition.
In their analysis, Serafin and allied unions pointed to concrete figures as a grim backdrop for the debate. They cited warehouses in Poland holding millions of tons of Ukrainian grain and argued that much of this stock either should be disposed of or redirected to regions facing food shortages. The perspective is that the grain is surplus to Polish needs and not aligned with the country’s strategic agricultural priorities. This framing has fed the argument that a large portion of imports should be managed within a controlled framework rather than allowed to affect Polish producers.
As the situation evolved, Serafin warned that it is possible for protests and blockades to expand beyond main crossings to other provincial hubs across the country. The message to authorities has been consistent: if decisions are not forthcoming, disruption could become widespread, extending the impact of the agricultural sector’s actions and prompting broader discussion about imports and market protections.
Earlier in the day, discussions between Ukrainian and Polish farm ministries took place at a border crossing in Dorohusk. The talks, which involved Mykola Solsky and Robert Telus, led to a decision to suspend the import of wheat, rapeseed, corn, and sunflower from Ukraine to Poland. The outcome was framed as a temporary pause that would allow for the stabilization of domestic markets while ensuring that Ukrainian grain could still transit through Poland as needed. The broader implication is a shift toward a more controlled approach to grain flows, emphasising transit over direct import in the immediate term while policy discussions continue about long-term market safeguards.