Ukrainian grain imports spark farmer protests in Romania and Bulgaria.
Farmers in central and eastern Europe are protesting against the impact of cheap Ukrainian grain imports, which have undercut domestic prices and hit the sales of local producers. The European Commission temporarily eliminated all duties and quotas on Ukraine’s exports, allowing a glut of cheap Ukrainian grain to flow into Europe, causing “huge market distortions” in neighboring countries, according to European farmers’ association Copa-Cogeca. The Commission's draft decision to extend duty-free and quota-free imports of Ukrainian grain until June 2024 has prompted protests and demands for compensation from affected farmers.