The UAC with the leading agrarian associations that are members of the Ukrainian Agri Forum and the Union of Food Producers of Ukraine appealed to Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal, Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko, Minister of Community, Territorial and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine Oleksandr Kubrakov, Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Mykola Solskyi.

Leading agrarian associations made proposals for a possible solution to the situation between Ukraine and five neighboring EU members regarding the export of certain types of agri-food products. Due to the blockade of Ukraine's seaports, the possibility of exporting by land has become a precious alternative, and the importance of transit of agricultural products through the territories of the five neighboring EU members.

"Over the past 18 months, Ukraine has exported more than 85 million tons of agri-food products, of which about 32.5 million tons were exported by sea. Accordingly, during the same period, 50 million tons of Ukrainian agricultural and food products were exported via the Solidarity Roads (by land routes through our neighboring EU members). In these circumstances, it is extremely important to expand the transit of Ukrainian agricultural products through our neighboring EU members. Given the uncertainty about the future continuation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, the Ukrainian agricultural sector risks being blocked inside the country and being pushed out of world markets (Africa, the Middle East and Asia), which are increasingly under Russian influence and propaganda for "free grain". Thus, the world is gradually forgetting about the thesis "Ukraine is the breadbasket of the world," and the state itself may lose significant foreign exchange and budget revenues," the statement reads.

Representatives of the Ukrainian agricultural sector, as well as Ukrainian society as a whole, condemn the introduction of any unilateral bans by European countries against Ukrainian products. The extension of the ban on imports of agricultural products to five neighboring EU members will have a negative impact on the Ukrainian agricultural sector. At the same time, the possible restriction of transit of these crops through the territory of neighboring EU countries to third markets will have catastrophic consequences for the sector.

"We support the development of free and open trade between Ukraine and its partners. At the same time, we ask that maximum attention for ensuring efficient transit. According to the Solidarity Roads export data, exports in August 2023 did not reach the level of March of the same year. At the same time, we believe that cooperation and partnership between Ukraine and the EU members has got great potential, and therefore we emphasize on necessity to continue to find constructive solutions for agricultural exports," is mentioned in the letter.

The farmers called on the Ukrainian authorities, together with representatives of the EU members, to develop mechanisms that would ensure the prompt, transparent and efficient operation of transit routes for Ukrainian agricultural products.