Closing The Border With Poland Will Have An Unexpected Effect On The Lukashenko Regime
- 19.09.2025, 22:40
The authorities are in for an "apple shaming".
Poland's closure of the border will have many negative consequences for Belarus. Not only global, but also very offensive. After the shameful shortage of potatoes, Lukashenko has already started to prepare in advance for the same shameful shortage of apples. Because after ten years of intense import substitution, Belarus still does not have enough of its own apples, writes planbmedia.io. "There is an extra apple - give it away. Approach it from the state positions, not only from the positions of the region."
These were the words of Lukashenko on Friday when he urged Hrodna Region Governor Yuri Karayev. The latter promised to share the apples. But beforehand, he will satisfy the needs of the residents of Grodno region. That is, if they have enough.
Because there may not be enough for everyone. Despite more than ten years of intense import substitution. Lukashenko demanded to fully provide the country with domestic apples back in 2014. Because domestic apples are much healthier and of higher quality than imported ones.
The legendary Belarusian quality is an immeasurable value. But the quantity is calculable. And something went wrong with it. Ten years have passed, but the Belarusian authorities are engaged in import substitution of apples as if for the first time.
"We need to stop bowing to imported apples. We need to have our own apple. We need to be provided with it. We have a great need for apples. But for this we need storage facilities. We need our own," said Lukashenko at a special meeting in 2024.
The import substitution was so successful that this spring, at the height of the potato deficit, the government had to lift the ban on imports of fruits and vegetables from the EU. Quality Belarusian apples are too unique a product to feed everyone with them.
And already in April, Belarus became the main importer of Polish apples. During the month, almost nine thousand tons were imported into the country. In total, since the beginning of the year, Belarus has imported $32 million worth of apples from Poland.
The closure of the Polish border threatens to reduce these imports to near zero. And then Belarus will be left alone with its import substitution. But without apples.