Polish farmers block Ukrainian border in protest over EU trade deal

Negotiations with Mercosur, a trade bloc comprising Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, are set to conclude by mid-December 2024, with a final decision expected by Dec. 20.

Polish farmers and the food industry are alarmed by the deal, fearing it could harm their businesses. Poland already has a $1.7 billion trade deficit in the food sector with Mercosur countries, and the agreement is expected to worsen this imbalance.

“Cheaper agricultural imports from South America could push our producers out of the European market," Dariusz Goszczyński, the National Poultry Council (krd-ig) President, explained.

"Oversupply of imported goods could also drive down prices, negatively impacting farmers' incomes and production profitability.”

The Polish government opposes the deal, with Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz acknowledging it threatens Poland’s food security. Similar concerns have been raised by other European farmers, particularly in France.

Mercosur countries produce goods under less stringent standards than the EU, leading to fears that European producers won’t be able to compete on price. The deal includes duty-free imports of large quantities of poultry, beef, corn, sugar, and biofuels.

Meat producers are particularly worried about competing with Brazilian giant JBS, whose annual revenue exceeds $110 billion — several times the size of Poland’s entire meat industry, valued at roughly 100 billion złoty.

Protests by Polish farmers began on Nov. 23, 2024, at the Medyka-Shehyni crossing on the Polish-Ukrainian border. Initially planned for 48 hours, the blockade disrupted the movement of trucks, with only one vehicle allowed to enter Ukraine per hour, and all trucks over 3.5 tons barred from leaving Ukraine.

According to Roman Kondrow, leader of the Obdurene Selo (Betrayed Village) group and organizer of the protest, farmers are striking for two main reasons: higher agricultural taxes in 2024 and the pending EU free trade deal with South America.

Polish farmers announced an end to the blockade at Medyka-Shehyni checkpoint by Nov. 24, though tensions over the trade deal persist.