After the full-scale invasion of Russia, the level of Polish exports to Ukraine has increased significantly. Last year, the trade surplus with Ukraine amounted to a record 31.4 billion zlotys, Rzeczpospolita writes, citing data from the Central Statistical Office of Poland, UNN reports.
Details
While Polish farmers are actively demanding to close the border to goods from Ukraine, statistics show that last year Kyiv was in seventh place in the ranking of exporters.
Блокада польського кордону: Україна втратила вже близько 500 мільйонів доларів 04.03.24, 20:52
In 2023, the value of Polish exports to Ukraine reached a record 51.7 billion zlotys ($13 billion), while imports amounted to only 20.3 billion zlotys ($5.1 billion). Poland's trade surplus reached 31.4 billion zlotys.
The value of imports of Ukrainian goods to Poland has also increased, although not as dramatically. In 2020, it amounted to 11.5 billion zlotys, in 2021 - 19.5 billion zlotys, in 2022 - 28.1 billion zlotys, and in 2023 it amounted to 20.3 billion zlotys.
Thus, Ukraine is among the top 20 most important suppliers for Poland.
The publication notes that these figures are largely due to an increase in Polish exports of weapons and ammunition, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, as well as food, beverages and fertilizers.
Meanwhile, the increase in imports was mainly due to food products, cereals, flour, sugar, rapeseed oil, and animal feed.
Addendum
The publication points out that Polish exports to Ukraine are growing from year to year. In particular, in 2020, it only slightly exceeded 23 billion zlotys, a year later it increased to almost 29 billion zlotys. In 2022, when the full-scale war began, exports had already reached 45.6 billion zlotys, and in 2023, they increased to 51.7 billion.
Amid the border blockade, dairy producers in both countries called on the governments of Ukraine and Poland to ensure that the dairy industry does not fall victim to the dispute.
Глава МЗС Польщі закликав відновити обмеження ЄС на імпорт українського продовольства27.02.24, 16:27
Ukraine is the third export market for Polish dairy products after the UK and Algeria.
In particular, Agnieszka Maliszewska, President of the Polish Dairy Chamber, argued that closing the border to Polish dairy products or restricting exchange between the countries would mean huge problems, especially for the Polish dairy sector and milk producers in Poland.
Recall
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk threatens to tighten the embargo on Ukrainian food productsif the EU does not find a compromise to protect Polish farmers.