By KYIV. Oct 31 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion and until the end of September, Ukraine transported about 1.5 million tonnes of grain through Poland to third countries, which is significantly more than pre-war figures, but still cannot satisfy its export capabilities due to the difference in width in the rail tracks of these countries and "bottlenecks" at border crossings.
"Poland will continue to develop the export of Ukrainian agricultural products in order to help this country amid Russian aggression, as well as to ensure that the grain reaches the Arab countries and North Africa," Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Poland Henryk Kowalczyk assured.
The minister clarified that at the beginning of the war, Ukraine spoke about the need to export about 45 million tonnes of agricultural products. He added that the resumption of agricultural exports from three Ukrainian seaports under the Istanbul grain agreements somewhat eased the situation, but there are fears that the "grain" corridor could be closed at any time.
Kowalczyk also said that Poland will continue to increase the transportation of Ukrainian grain in order to support Ukraine and ensure that the grain reaches the countries of North Africa and the Arab countries, because otherwise famine could begin there.
The Deputy Prime Minister turned to European officials for help in increasing Ukrainian agricultural exports, because famine in Arab countries or North Africa could provoke waves of migration from these countries in the spring of 2023.
"It is in our common interests, all of Europe, to deliver this grain there," Kowalczyk summed up.
