“We cannot save Ukraine to the detriment of European grain producers”, French professionals are angry after the European agreement to cap Ukrainian exports

While they wanted to see customs duties reintroduced in the face of the “falling” price of wheat, the 27 and the European Parliament limited themselves to capping certain imports. And wheat is not one of them.

“We make fun of the world, that is to say we give the impression that we want to protect but in reality, we do not protect”, protested Wednesday March 20 on franceinfo the president of the General Association of Wheat and Other Cereal Producers (AGPB) Éric Thirouin. While French cereal producers wanted to see customs duties reintroduced for cereals imported from Ukraine into the European Union, the 27 and the European Parliament reached an agreement overnight to cap certain agricultural imports from Kiev, as oats, corn, but not wheat.

A cap also on poultry, eggs and sugar in order to respond to the concerns of European farmers, who believe that the influx of Ukrainian products is lowering the prices of local products, particularly in countries bordering Ukraine. According to the president of the AGPB, this agreement “gives the impression of managing and containing a little of what is happening but in fact, last night, I think they made fun of the world”.

One of the points of tension is the taking into account of the reference period to set a limit on imports. Agricultural organizations criticize the fact that the cap corresponds to the very high volumes of the last two years at the origin of the crisis (2022 and 2023). “If we don’t take 2021, in fact, it’s equivalent to not doing anything at all since in fact, we are at the maximum possible imports”lamented the representative of the cereal growers.

“We hear the speeches, we want action”

“They did not include wheat cereals in this agreement”also castigated Éric Thirouin, while “prices have completely collapsed”according to him. “It is essential that there be a measure of balance,” he says. “We cannot save Ukraine at the expense of European grain producers,” continues the boss of the specialized cereal growers association of the FNSEA. Especially, he adds, that Ukrainian grain exports via the Black Sea have resumed.

“It is therefore necessary to find safeguard clauses, it is essential,” insists Éric Thirouin. “There was, before the war, a quota of 1 million tonnes of wheat. Today, there are no more quotas at all, which means that Ukrainian wheat returns via Italy and via Spain in our market and that makes prices fall”he regrets. “We cannot let things happen without reacting, we hear the speeches of our French government now we want concrete and effective actions at European level.”