Poland's Deputy Agriculture Minister Proposes Leasing Odesa Port for Grain Hub

Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Poland Michal Kolodziejczak said that Poland should buy or lease a port in Odesa, allegedly to expand grain export opportunities via the Black Sea.

The official put forward such an initiative on the air of the Gość Wydarzeń program, Polsat News reports.

According to Kolodziejczak, Poland should negotiate with Ukraine on a long-term lease or purchase of a part of the Odesa port to create its own grain hub.

"Why hasn't Poland spoken about this openly yet? We could lease or buy a plot of land in the port of Odesa for 50 years and create our own grain terminal there," he said.

In his opinion, this will allow Polish farmers to sell grain at more favorable prices, as transportation through the Black Sea is cheaper than through the Baltic ports.

In addition, Kolodziejczak suggested that Poland should lease half a million hectares of Ukrainian land for its agricultural companies.

The deputy minister expressed fears about Ukraine's accession to the EU without clear agreements that would protect the Polish agricultural market.

"I'm afraid of Ukraine's accession to the EU because we don't know what will happen then. If Ukraine joins, a 10-year moratorium on its investments in the Polish food industry should be established," he said.

As an example, he cited the situation with the Polish company Kalfrost, which, according to him, was bought by a Ukrainian company, fired all employees, sold off equipment and used the brand for its own products.

Kolodziejczak also emphasized that Poland should follow the example of Germany before Poland joined the EU to protect its economic interests.

According to open sources, Michał Kolodziejczak is a Polish farmer, politician and public figure. He is the founder and president of the socio-political movement Agrounia, which represents the interests of Polish farmers.

In 2023, he was elected to the Sejm of the Xth convocation, representing the Gniezno-Konin constituency. In the same year, Kolodziejczak was appointed Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Poland (Secretary of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development). In this position, he is responsible for the activities of the Department of Plant Breeding and Protection, as well as the Department of Agricultural Markets and Rural Energy Transformation. His responsibilities include oversight of plant breeding, seed production, plant protection product registration and regulation of agricultural markets within the framework of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy.

Ірина Глухова