Letters to the Editor. “Our farmers face another ordeal just as devastating as the trade agreement with Mercosur countries: Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.”

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In our “Letters to the Editor” section, Laurent Opsomer (Nord) comments on the potential impact of Ukraine’s possible accession to the European Union on French agriculture:

“’Ave Caesar morituri te salutant’ (’Hail, Caesar, those who are about to die salute you’ — words spoken by gladiators in the arena before combat). This could well be the motto of our farmers. Indeed, while the signing of the trade agreement with Mercosur was postponed under pressure from them, the European Commission will soon sign it on behalf of the European Union (on January 17, 2025, in Paraguay). This will incidentally demonstrate French powerlessness within this 27-member Europe dominated by Germany […].

But another ordeal just as devastating awaits our farmers: Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. The entry of this country will, in all likelihood, be a shockwave of a completely different magnitude than that of Mercosur.

‘The Landscape Has Changed’

Ukraine is considered the ’breadbasket of Europe.’ This country is an agricultural superpower: it benefits from 33 million hectares — more than half of the country’s total area — of some of the world’s most fertile land (the famous ’black earth’ or chernozem). In 2023, it was the top exporter of sunflower oil (36% of the market), the fourth-largest exporter of corn, and the sixth-largest exporter of wheat. While the war has reduced Ukraine’s presence on global food markets, this country remains an agricultural giant.

Prior to the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022, the country exported mainly to Asia, notably to China. Today, the landscape has changed: exports now flow primarily towards Europe, via river and land routes, thanks to the ’solidarity lanes’ launched by Brussels.”

Original article: ouest-france.fr