The European Union announced on Friday new import quotas that will reduce Ukrainian wheat and sugar shipments by 70-80%, a move aimed at protecting EU farmers amid ongoing protests against the flood of agricultural imports from Ukraine.
Since the outbreak of the Ukraine war in 2022, the EU temporarily waived duties and quotas to support Ukrainian food exports, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
However, the resulting surge in cereal, sugar, and poultry imports sparked concerns among farmers across the bloc, who have faced rising costs and tighter environmental regulations.
Under the revised trade deal, the annual quota for Ukrainian wheat will be capped at 1.3 million metric tons, an increase of 30% from pre-war levels but a significant drop from the 4.5 to 6.5 million tons imported duty-free in recent seasons. Ukrainian sugar imports will be limited to 100,000 tons, up from 20,000 tons before the war but far below the previous quota-free levels exceeding 400,000 tons.
The Ukrainian farm lobby UCAB criticized the quotas as insufficient, calling the changes a "step back." Meanwhile, EU officials stressed that the measures are designed to balance solidarity with Ukraine and the economic realities faced by European farmers.
Grain traders predict that Ukraine will pivot to markets in Asia and North Africa to sell its competitively priced wheat, which has continued to flow via the Black Sea despite ongoing conflict. The war’s escalation was underscored this week by Russia’s most severe drone attack since hostilities began, while Western military support for Ukraine has shown signs of strain.
The new quotas also include increased limits on Ukrainian barley and poultry imports. Barley quotas will rise to 450,000 tons, aligning with last season’s figures but remaining below earlier peaks. Poultry imports will increase to 120,000 tons.
This revised trade agreement, covering 40 key goods, awaits approval by a qualified majority of EU member states. It also allows individual countries to impose further safeguards if Ukrainian imports destabilize local markets.
The EU’s recalibration of Ukrainian agricultural imports reflects a delicate balancing act: supporting Ukraine amid a protracted conflict while addressing the economic pressures faced by European farmers and consumers.
