Poland may give boost to Ukrainian grain transit

MOSCOW. May 20 (Interfax) - Poland's Deputy Prime Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said at a meeting with representatives of the protesting Polish farmers on Friday that the transit of Ukrainian grain through Poland decreased significantly from January to May, Ukrainian media said, citing the website of the Polish Agriculture Ministry.

"The transit [of grain through Poland] halved from January to May," Agriculture Minister Czeslaw Siekierski said at the meeting.

One of the reasons behind problems on the grain market is Poland's loss of its sales markets in Europe and beyond, Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

"More than 90% of grain transit from Ukraine goes via the Black Sea and Romania," he said.

He also gave his support to the idea of expanding agricultural ports and grain terminals, also announcing the government's decision to unblock the waterway to the port in Elblag.

The European Union's decision on Ukraine's access to the EU market is the final possible solution in the existing formula, Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

"The EU-Ukraine dialogue should last for years. So should our accession talks," he said.

The deputy prime minister also spoke in favor of seriously tightening control on the border to prevent products below the high European standards from reaching Poland.