Ukraine does not mind inspections of its agricultural products by Polish phytosanitary authorities

MOSCOW. Feb 14 (Interfax) - Ukraine does not mind inspections of its agricultural products exported to or transiting Poland by the Polish veterinarian and phytosanitary authorities, Ukrainian media quoted Agrarian Policy and Food Minister Nikolai Solsky as saying in the national telethon.

"Let our colleagues inspect. We are not afraid of inspections," Solsky said in comment on a statement by Polish Deputy Agriculture Minister Michal Kolodziejczak. The latter said on Monday that Poland would start sweeping inspections of Ukrainian agricultural products on suspicion that they are re-exported to Poland from Germany and other states as EU products after transiting Poland.

Ukraine knows nothing about such cases, Solsky said.

"At least, it would be economically unfeasible to bring [agricultural products] to Germany before taking them back to Warsaw. It does not work this way. Same as transportation to Vilnius and back," he said.

Solsky said he asked the Lithuanian colleague at negotiations on Tuesday whether he knew about cases of Ukrainian products' re-export and was told that Lithuania had no such information at the point but would look into the matter.

A tiny share of grain goes through Poland, as 90% of Ukrainian farmers have preferred agricultural exports through the Greater Odessa ports of Chernomorsk and Yuzhny for the past three months, he said.

"The situation [with exports across the Black Sea] is back to the pre-crisis levels. Even if every ban [unilateral bans on exporting Ukrainian wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower seed to Poland, Slovakia and Hungary is lifted], the price for transporting the bulk of grain from most Ukrainian territories would be uncompetitive at the Polish border," Solsky said, adding that Ukraine did not mind and was not afraid of the inspections.