Tensions grow as 160 tonnes of Ukrainian grain sabotaged in Poland

Lee Duna@lemmy.nz to World News@lemmy.world – 267 points –
Tensions grow as 160 tonnes of Ukrainian grain sabotaged in Poland
telegraph.co.uk
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Attacking food supply is despicable or even terrorism and a crime against humanity. Especially in times of climate crisis and climate refugees. They should throw those responsible in jail.

"jail" being the incorrect spelling of "deep hole with no bottom"

These are cheap exports.

I'm sure the people who will starve will fill their bellies with the knowledge that it was just cheap food.

People won't starve because of this.

Just no people you know.

Yeah, no. The grain was going to Latvia. They shouldn't have dumped it, they're basically vandals. Let's not act as if this will start some huge famine. All this is, is a shitty protest, possibly with russian backing. Nothing more.

We live in a global economy. If Lativia doesn't get this grain then they'll buy / outbid other grain that might have been destined for a poorer country. For any commodities like grain any impact in one place does have a worldwide impact through changing prices.

Yeah but it still could affect the global price of food. Which is enough that people might go undernourished or starve in some other country. Probably not in this case over "only" 160 tonnes, but it's still despicable.

This is extremely upsetting but not surprising. Poland has some of the weirdest retrograde macho right wing culture in the world. It makes sense that many of them would sympathise with Putin.

aren't they doing it because of some agriculture spat? not strictly putin?

This type of sowing discord is well in line with Putin's playbook and there's evidence of Russian intelligence being involved.

At recent protests the farmers are even mentioning Putin by name, giving further credence to such theories.

Sources:

Does Poland not understand that farmers just want a hand out? Its always the same with farmers....

I'm glad people are starting to wake upto just how bad farmers are

Is this your takeaway?

Many of these people have a tough time getting ends to meet economically. Whenever something happens that affects their already shaky bottom line there's going to be anger. Not because they get slightly less rich, but because they feel legitimately existentially threatened.

Of course this is not Ukraines fault. It is however the fault of governments if the bill to support Ukraine economically lands in the knees of the already economically stressed farmers.

If the farmers protests are anything like the ones over here in Germany, then yes. Here they are openly wearing fascist symbols, calling for the lynching of our government, and physically try to attack politicians and their families.

That's on top of the fact that they support parties that are antithetical to their interests. They keep pushing for the right and far-right parties that are big proponents of austerity, in a time when big transformative investments are needed.

So yeah, fuck them.

Identitarians have been actively engaged in instrumentalising the whole thing, in the west there's the occasional idiot, in the east well you know the general problem.

Broadly speaking though farmers are overwhelmingly Green or CDU aligned. And not the Merz-style CDU, but Günther. You could just as well say that they're all filthy liberals because Lindner held a speech at a protest.

I dont know about your country, but in my country the farmers are all millionaires, wanting socialism for themselves, because its great, but not for us "city slickers" oh, no, not ever. Cant wait for AI to replace all farmers. It wont complain as much, or think it can solve its problems by ruining another nations food.

That's not really true though, they're wealthy land owners with huge political and economic power who screw over the poor every chance they get to make themselves richer.

Literally destroying produce to maintain high prices, and not just this example of terrorist behavior but it's standard operating procedure for the cartel to limit supply artificially. People are too poor to afford healthy food and they're out there burning it to stop prices slumping.

Then we get their routine use of migrant workers who they treat like shit and vastly underpay. While working politically to stop any improvements to the system of immigration because they benefit from poor peoples suffering, especially being able to threaten to have them deported.

I could go on...

Ironically, a vast majority of the workers making them money have been Ukrainians who they treat like absolute trash already.

I don't fucking understand, Poland had been supporting them so strongly for the past two years

They still support Ukraine. But to bring Ukraine's grain into the country is a no go for them. Domestically Poland have to deal with the farmers, constitutes a large demographic chuck of their voters, who can't compete with the cheaper Ukraine's grain and ended up suffer financially.

edit: a news article on this matter

The farmers liked the old party being in charge, not the new one. Also wouldn’t be terribly shocked to learn some of these actions are being encouraged by individuals whose paychecks are covered by the Kremlin, considering the impact this is having in the region.

The motivation from the previous nationalist PiS government in Poland was mainly anything they could to do against Russia or against Germany.

So by supporting Ukraine with military equipment, they were acting against Russia. But at the same time slowed down German support for Ukraine, by blocking maintenance and factories for Ukrainian equipment in Poland. Leading to long transports across to other countries e.g. Latvia for maintenance.

Now, with the grain, this has no Russian involvement and their own farmers are unhappy. So there is no way to go against Russia or against Germany. Also there is a new government in Poland, so I guess we have to see how that develops now.

Can't they like scoop it back in there and sift out any dirt.

What on Earth does this achieve?

Raising grain prices so conglomerates can fix the prices higher then the market dictates generally.

It'll work, of anything pushes the conflict to an end of when other countries start being unavoidably effected.

Is this manufactured outrage? I know Polish and Ukrainians have been at odds historically, on occasion. But surely Poland knows that if Ukraine falls, they will be next.

Well, there is a rise in farmers protests in Europe which are taken over by fascists in farmers clothing...

Worth noting that those fascists have always worn those clothes because they are farmers. And it‘s not like they‘re just a small minority of the protests. The whole standstill (as opposed to a movement) has been enshrouded by calls to end democracy with very little criticism from the inside.

Can't wait to see Ukraine going down and Poland crying about needing help when Russia is at their doorstep. Don't forget you were part of the USSR for a while, and well you know something something making Russia great again.

What?

The whole point of the war with Ukraine and Russia is that Ukraine was part of the USSR. Do you think Russia is just gonna stop once Ukraine is under their control? Next, Ukraine is know for their grains exports. Which would help Russia a lot when comes to finances.

They are literally shooting themselves in the foot. (farmers)

Which goes back to, can't wait to hear Poland complain about Russia being at their doorstep and feeling threatened.

I think the "What?" was aimed at the statement that Poland was part of the USSR at one point.

The "what" was probably aimed at the statement "Can't wait to see Ukraine going down...". This statement is just ridiculous. If anything you should expect the agressor to go down

That's what we call "sarcasm."

He wasn't being serious. He doesn't want Ukraine to go down but actions like these are detrimental.

What don't you understand?

Use your words.

I don't understand what you're trying to say. Explain it to me like I'm 5.

Maybe you need remedial education.

That's what a teacher would tell you if you don't even know how to ask a question.