Hungary extends list of Ukrainian agricultural products banned from being imported, transit still permitted

MOSCOW. April 19 (Interfax) - The Hungarian Agriculture Ministry has extended the list of Ukrainian agricultural products that are banned from being imported to the country to 25 starting April 19.

The measure has been introduced for an interim period until the European Union adopts substantial and lasting measures and reviews duty-free imports of Ukrainian goods and the operation of solidarity corridors, Ukrainian media quoted Hungarian Agriculture Minister Istvan Nagy as saying in an interview with Hirado.hu.

The ban applies to grain crops, rapeseeds and sunflower seeds, flour, vegetable oil, honey, and some types of meat and will be in effect until June 30, 2023, Nagy said.

The transit of these products will still be permitted, but specially-authorized Hungarian agencies will seal the cargo on the border and monitor its passage across the country's territory using patrols and electronic devices.

Transport operators violating the ban may face fines of up to the full value of prohibited imports, he said.

Bulgaria earlier imposed a provisional ban on imports of food products from Ukraine except for those transited across its territory.

Previously, Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia had restricted imports of Ukrainian agricultural products. Moreover, Poland also banned their transit, but Kiev and Warsaw later agreed to resume transit based on new rules starting April 21.

Romania has also seen calls for restricting agricultural imports from Ukraine on the grounds that cheaper Ukrainian products caused damage to local farmers. Meanwhile, Bucharest has not called into question transits of such products to Romanian ports, Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Nikolai Solsky said following an online meeting with Romanian Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Petre Daea, as quoted by the Ukrainian Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry.

Ukraine and Romania have discussed exports and transits of Ukrainian agricultural products and agreed to continue negotiations at a personal meeting between the two agriculture ministers in Bucharest on Friday, April 21, the Ukrainian ministry said.