DATA: How much grain is transported to the Czech Republic from Ukraine and how much from Russia? Farmers are worried

At the European level, the import of cereals from both Russia and Ukraine has been very intensively addressed in recent days and weeks. According to Czech farmers, they welcome the increase in customs duties on Russian and Belarusian cereals, but according to them, the main problem is imports from Ukraine. The data show that the import of cereals from Ukraine is many times higher than that from Russia, moreover, it is rising steeply over time. The Agrarian Chamber of the Czech Republic states that there is a need to help the war-torn Ukraine, but not at the expense of Czech farmers.

The problem that, according to the Minister of Agriculture, Marek Výborny, “burns farmers and farmers all over Europe, is the low purchase prices of commodities on the European Commodity Exchange”, and therefore it is necessary to respond to that as well. Negotiators from member states and the European Parliament agreed last week on this issue that the EU will reimpose tariffs on some agricultural products from Ukraine if their imports exceed a certain amount. It is precisely these imports that farmers complain about and want to limit. At the same time, however, the EU does not want to stop supporting Ukraine and its exports, because this way Kyiv receives funds for the continuation of its defense against Russian aggression.

The Czech Ministry of Agriculture monitors the situation on agricultural markets. “The volumes of cereal imports from the Russian Federation and Belarus to the Czech Republic are small compared to imports from Ukraine. The Czech Republic supports the liberalization of the import of Ukrainian goods into the EU, with regard to reducing the impact of excessive imports from Ukraine on the European market, mechanisms are currently being set up for the possible introduction of protective measures,” said Vojtěch Bílý, spokesman for the Ministry of the Interior, for Echo24.

Last Friday, the European Commission, within the framework of the ongoing European Council, presented, as a more flexible instrument with the same effect, a proposal to introduce prohibitive tariffs on imports of cereals and oilseeds from Russia and Belarus of EUR 90 per tonne or 50% per tonne, with the aim of preventing these products from entering European market and prevent Russia and Belarus from profiting from the sale of these products. “The introduction of the customs duty still enables transport across EU territory, insurance and transport on EU vessels to third countries, whose food security will not be threatened,” Bílý added.

Data from the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ) on grain imports from Ukraine and the Russian Federation show large differences. Imports from Ukraine have been rising sharply in recent years. As recently as 2020, 1,773 tons of grain were imported into the Czech Republic, in 2022 more than 27,000 tons, and in 2023 it was already 87,753 tons of grain. The most represented item is corn and wheat. On the contrary, imports from Russia have not exceeded the 500-ton mark since 2020. “There have been no imports of cereals to the Czech Republic from Belarus in the past two years. In January 2024, there were no imports from Russia to the Czech Republic,” Bílý told Echo24.

Agrarian Chamber: The current system helps traffickers

The Czech Republic was one of the countries that, together with Poland and the Baltic states, sent a letter to the EC calling for the introduction of restrictions on Moscow. The letter was signed on behalf of the Czech Republic by Minister of Agriculture Výborný. The President of the Agrarian Chamber of the Czech Republic, Jan Doležal, told Echo24 that Czech farmers welcome the increase in customs duties on cereals, oilseeds and other derived products from Russia and Belarus, including wheat, corn and sunflower meal.

“At the same time, it should be emphasized that it is necessary to deal primarily with imports of cereals and oilseeds from Ukraine. It is indisputable that the farmers there need to be helped, but it must not be at the cost of harming our growers and breeders. In addition, the currently set up system rather helps traffickers, but on the contrary hurts Ukrainian and European farmers, Doležal told Echo24.

According to him, there is now talk of restricting the import of oats from Ukraine, but not of the main cereals such as wheat or barley. “Either there was a mistake, or it can be considered a lobbying stunt. The problem with production in third countries is that it may not meet the high standards of Europe. We are not saying that they do not fulfill them, but simply that they do not have to. As a result, these agricultural commodities can be produced at far lower costs than what farmers in Europe can afford, and the European market is being distorted and the competitiveness of our breeders and growers is being reduced,” added the head of the AK CR.