The ban on imports of Ukraine’s agricultural products slapped by Bratislava, Budapest and Warsaw could cost Kiev up to $230 million a month, statistical data from these three countries show.
Hungary's ban is related to imports of 24 types of Ukraine’s agrarian products, including grain, some seeds, sugar, as well as oil and honey, which could cost Ukraine $89 million a month.
As for Slovakia, it banned Ukrainian wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower seeds, which may cost Kiev about $26.4 million a month, in line with the statistical data.
Last week, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary announced their own restrictions on imports of Ukrainian agricultural products after the European Commission-imposed curbs lapsed on September 15.
Polish Agriculture Minister Robert Telus said in a statement at the time that "The ban covers four cereals, but also at my request, at the request of farmers, the ban has been extended to include meals from these cereals: corn, wheat, rapeseed, so that these products also do not affect the Polish market."
Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki, for his part, noted that Warsaw “will extend this ban despite the European Commission's disagreement," adding that “We will do it because it is in the interest of the Polish farmers."
In response, Kiev threatened to prohibit the import of certain goods from Poland, Hungary and Slovakia if they failed to remove their embargo. Ukrainian Deputy Economy Minister Taras Kachka, in turn, said that Kiev views their decision as unlawful, a statements that was followed by Kiev filing a relevant a complaint with the World Trade Organization. Polish Prime Morawiecki was quick to respond by warning that Warsaw would expand the list of import bans from Ukraine if the neighboring nation would further escalate the spat.