European processors and politicians propose to cancel the ban on the import of grain from Ukraine

In the EU, 22 countries do not support the proposal of Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Bulgaria to extend the ban on the import of grain from Ukraine after September 15, Politico reports citing anonymous sources in diplomatic circles.

One of the EU diplomats said that at a meeting with the European Commission, EU ambassadors from 22 countries spoke against the extension of restrictions or were skeptical about it, although they acknowledged the difficulties faced by 5 countries neighboring Ukraine. France and Germany criticized the continuation of the ban the most. Therefore, some countries can lift the ban on the supply of some goods from Ukraine.

The ban on the import of Ukrainian sunflower may be lifted on September 15, as some processors, especially in Bulgaria, may stop work due to a shortage of supplies caused by the poor prospects of the sunflower harvest in the EU in 2023/24 MY.

The Association of Vegetable Oil and Petroleum Products Producers of Bulgaria condemned the call of the Minister of Agriculture of the country to the European Commission to extend the ban on sunflower imports from Ukraine until the end of the year. Representatives of the Association protect the interests of processors and accuse the authorities of suppressing their industry in favor of another, which distorts the market.

Relations between Bulgarian processors and farmers are deteriorating against the backdrop of lower crop forecasts for 2023/24 MY and increased stocks that could not compensate for the shortage of Ukrainian sunflower.

Now, sunflower harvest forecasts have been reduced compared to August for Bulgaria by 17% to 1.7-1.8 million tons, Romania by 11.5% to 2.3 million tons. At the beginning of September, sunflower stocks in these countries are down by 30% exceeded last year's, but this does not compensate for its deficit. Experts estimate sunflower reserves in Bulgaria at 200,000-300,000 tons, compared to the official estimate of 600,000 tons, and in Romania at 300,000 tons.

Farmers are not in a hurry to sell, as they consider prices lower than cost. However, prices continued to fall even after the introduction of a ban on Ukrainian sunflower imports. - inform processors.

Market participants hope for the lifting of the ban on imports, given the reduction of the sunflower harvest in Romania and Bulgaria due to drought.