Polish farmers end protest in Szczecin against Ukrainian grain imports that lasted more than a month

UkrAgroConsult

On April 27, the farmers signed a protocol with Agriculture Secretary Robert Telus, concluding negotiations that lasted more than a week to meet their demands.

The signed protocol is more than 20 pages long. They list the positions of farmers and the ministry in a table.

The most important thing the farmers managed to agree on is subsidies for grain crops, which, according to them, are unprofitable to sell at the current price. We are talking about wheat and corn. It is noted that the subsidies will also be available to owners of large farms – up to 300 hectares.

The agreement stipulates that subsidies for agricultural fuel will also increase, and the Minister of Agriculture announced negotiations with the European Commission to further increase these rates. It was also agreed to introduce fertilizer subsidies. Fertilizer prices have risen sharply due to the rise in the price of gas used for their production.

It is not yet known whether the terms agreed upon by farmers will be accepted by Polish agricultural organizations. Although everyone was invited to the expert talks with the Ministry, only local leaders of farmers’ organizations signed the protocol in Szczecin.

When they started the protest, the farmers demanded “immediate closure of the borders for the transportation of agricultural products from abroad” and a meeting with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

They also demanded help with repayment of loans taken out for farming and the introduction of an “anti-crisis shield” for agriculture. In their opinion, the government has stopped listening to farmers, and agricultural production has become unprofitable.

On April 15, Poland decided to ban imports of Ukrainian grain and other agricultural products until June 30.

This order was announced by the Minister of Development and Technology of Poland Waldemar Buda on Twitter.

According to him, in accordance with the directive decision of the Council of Ministers, he has just signed a decree banning the import of agricultural products from Ukraine. These include grain, milk, eggs and poultry.

The leader of the ruling Law and Justice party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, said that Poland “is and remains a friend and ally of Ukraine without any changes,” but “a possible crisis in the Polish countryside will affect the situation of all Poles.”

Kaczynski also added that Poland will conduct a general purchase of grain imported from Ukraine, which is stored in Polish silos and warehouses.

Earlier, farmers from Ukraine’s neighboring countries staged a protest against the import of Ukrainian grain, which lowers prices for their products.

Tags: Poland