The scandal surrounding Ukrainian grain has already somewhat subsided. Political responsibility was assumed only by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture Henrik Kowalczyk, who resigned as minister under pressure from agricultural circles.
However, the case is not over Law enforcement agencies are still in the game regarding grain imports – the prosecutor’s office and Customs and Excise Service officials. It verifies what importers call technical grains, which they do after importing it into the country.
– Because there was a doubt that the importers did not change the purpose of the grain after crossing the Polish border We analyzed the grain importing companies. As a result 16 investigations have been launched against the companies and we have doubts about what they have done with the technical grains. As part of these studies, we already have five preparatory activities, namely investigations Conducted as part of a joint investigation by a team of special prosecutors of the Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Rzeszów. Changing the scope of technical grain is customs fraud – says Bartos Sparaszczuk, head of the National Revenue Administration.
“We will be able to verify all importers who imported technical grains into Ukraine in 2022 and 2023,” he added.
More text below the photo
Head of the National Revenue Administration, Junior Inspector Bartos Sparaschuk
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Wojciech Olkusnik/Eastern News / Eastern News
According to KAS statistics, about 103,000 people entered Poland from our eastern border last year and in the first four months of this year. Tons of grains declared as technical and industrial. Of which, this year’s imports are less than 2,000. Tone.
The Treasury informed us In 2022, technical grain from Ukraine was imported by 86 companies, this year only seven.
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Non-committal affair
So-called imported technical grain is only a fraction of total grain imports from Ukraine, which last year was approximately 2.5 million tons. This is also not much compared to the domestic production of over 35 million tonnes last season. Most of the grain imported from Ukraine to Poland last year was corn, of which nearly 1.9 million tons entered the country. In second place was wheat – 0.52 million tons.
This volume of Ukrainian grain imports was made possible by the European Union’s abolition of customs duties on imports of goods from Ukraine on May 30, 2022.
“Ukrainian grain should go outside the third countries, i.e. the European Union. Mainly to Africa or the Middle East,” insists the head of KAS.
– The EU is responsible for trade and customs policy, tariffs on grain from Ukraine have been removed, while no measures have been introduced to protect countries from excessive imports. The same problems in Poland occurred in Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary, he adds.
He acknowledges that businessmen – in compliance with EU regulations – have had the opportunity to import and some companies have taken advantage of it.
– Regulations stating that grain cannot be in Poland appeared at the EU level on May 2 this year, and in Poland from April 15. After that, grain imports stopped, reports Zbaraszczuk.
Ukraine is a powerhouse in grain production. According to figures from the US Department of Agriculture, our eastern neighbor will export 40.5 million tons of grain this year.including 14.5 million tonnes of wheat and 26 million tonnes of maize. Ukrainian exports to Poland last year were about 2.5 million tons of grain, however, not significant enough to have a strong impact on prices.
In an interview with Business Insider Polska at the end of April, Jakub Olibra, expert in agricultural markets and economist at Crédit Agricole Bank, pointed out that the domestic market reflects what is happening in global stocks. Exchanges. The fall in prices is due to an improvement in the supply and demand situation in the global grain market, uncertainty and the expectation of a bumper harvest next season.
read more: Technical grains from Ukraine really flood Poland? We have customs records
Who tests the grain?
This year, before the EU ban, imports of technical grains to Poland were small.
“Grains for technical applications have been entering Poland for many years and are used for the production of biomass or pellets. However, these are about 100,000 tons of technical and industrial grains that appeared in the last twelve months, representing a much larger import than in previous years – admits the head of KAS.
The decline in the import of technical grains this year can be explained by the fact that the grain inspection at importing companies to Poland started in January. However, the head of the treasury points out that the services under him do not check the quality of grain.
– Research on food security of the country is the responsibility of four studies. The Customs and Excise Service does not inspect grains for food safety, but only to see if the products comply with the declaration, in which case something is being smuggled.. It is a semi-physical inspection – all train cars are scanned, and in the case of car traffic we follow a risk analysis – says Zbaraszczuk.
– Between 30 and 70 percent of border crossings are subject to inspection, depending on the intensity of border crossing traffic. Vehicles that want to cross our border. They are X-rayed by special X-rays based on whether anything that should not enter the country enters the country and whether the goods declared in the declaration match the facts – he added.
He recalls that control of grain is the competence of specialized government agencies.
— If the importer declares that the grain is fodder, seed or food, it goes to the appropriate inspection for inspection. – adds the president of CAS.
These agencies include State Plant Health and Seed Inspection, Principal Sanitary Inspector, Principal Inspector of Agriculture and Food Quality and Chief Veterinary Inspector.
There is no gray area
According to Bartosz Zbaraszczuk, there were no circumstances where grain entered the country and was declared as a completely different product, which could indicate that it was imported to Poland in larger quantities than the 2.5 million tons mentioned above.
– Contrary to what appeared in public, the grinding cloth entered Poland, there were no such reports. We checked, he said.
Such suggestions were made by some farming circles.
KAS has already pointed out that technical grain is not subject to border feed or livestock control because, according to the importer, it is not intended for fodder, sowing or consumption.
– However, if there is doubt about the true purpose of the grain, then this does not mean that the grain cannot be subjected to such control. Zbaraszczuk emphasizes that there is an opportunity to carry out tests not only at the border, but also at the country.
— Studies confirm that technological grains are controlled by research, but in many cases by the companies that buy them. He adds.
All grains under the microscope
Although technical grains are not formally controlled by any inspections, the large volume of its imports compared to previous years has prompted government agencies to keep a close eye on the grain.
— In 2022, as the number of technical grain import notifications has increased, we have agreed to submit these notifications to all four inspections so that they can decide whether to carry out inspections. In fact, at the end of last year, technical grain was also subject to border controls, he adds.
According to the Financial Crimes Code, the importer is responsible for proper declaration of goods. He should specify whether the grain is for technical or food purposes. If the grain is used for purposes other than those declared (eg technically declared grain is used as feed), the importer may face confiscation of the goods or equivalent criminal consequences..
– KAS does what it is supposed to do – Bartos Sparaschuk emphasizes.
Author: Bartek Kodusławski, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Business Insider Polska
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