April 28, 2004

Poland Eases Corn, Soy Import Regulations

Poland has relaxed its phytosanitary regulations as part of its entry into the European Union, allowing for the possible import of soybeans, wheat and corn from nations previously quarantined for weed contamination, including the U.S., Poland's Under- Secretary of State for Agriculture said on Tuesday.
 
Until April 21, the introduction into and spread within Poland of certain weed seeds which are found in U.S. grain exports had been illegal, but Polish law has adjusted to coincide with European law in all matters, including phytosanitary areas where the tolerance level is lower.
 
"During the negotiation process, the Polish side did report a need to include that weed (ragweed) in the E.U. quarantine list," said Poland's Under-Secretary of State Jerzy Plewa. "A session of the Standing Committee for Plant Health was held in connection with this matter, but the opinions of individual member states' representatives varied and the inclusion of this weed in the quarantine list did not win support," he said.
 
According to a report by the U.S. Foreign Agriculture Service's attache in Warsaw, there is a possibility for the import of 300,000 metric tons of soybeans into Poland, worth $80 million, as a result of Poland's alignment with European law.
 
The FAS attache in Warsaw believes $175 million of U.S. soybeans were crushed within the E.U. and exported to Poland during 2003. Poland annually consumes 1.4 million tons of soybeans.
 
Soybean consumption in Poland has increased between 15% to 20% since 2000 due to the ban of imported meat and bone meals as animal feed. Domestic meat and bone meal was banned in December 2003.
 
The FAS attache did not state the possibilities for U.S. exports to Poland for wheat or corn.