Ukrainian Railways imposes restrictions on rail shipments to Poland via Hrubieszow crossing

MOSCOW. Feb 6 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian national railway company Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) has imposed convention restrictions on all shipments to Poland via the Hrubieszow border crossing, Ukrainian media have reported with reference to the company's website.

The restrictions apply to shipments of all freight on any railcars to all recipients via Hrubieszow, it said.

The restrictions took effect on Tuesday and will remain valid until further notice, it said.

The company introduced the restrictions amid calls by Polish authorities for tightening veterinary controls of agricultural produce arriving from Ukraine and their concerns about excessive imports of sugar, oil, and grain, including flour and corn, to the Polish market.

Polish farmers plan on February 9 to start a nationwide strike initiated by the NSZZ Solidarnosc Rolnikow Indywidualnych independent farming union. As the union's board said, the protest was prompted by the European Commission's proposal that duty-free trade with Ukraine, which was initially to remain in effect until June 2024, be extended to 2025. The protests should last for 30 days, during which protesting farmers intend to block all Ukrainian-Polish border crossings.