Polish Prime Minister: “European support for farmers comes too late”

European support measures for Polish farmers – who are suffering from the import of Ukrainian food products – come too late. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said so today, Reuters reports. Earlier in the day, the Polish parliament approved a 10 billion Polish zloty ($2.4 billion) support package for Poland’s agricultural sector.

Central European countries are doing their best to reach an agreement with Brussels on European measures to support the agricultural sector after some member states unilaterally banned the import of Ukrainian food products. “What the EU offers us with a delay comes too late,” Morawiecki said. “It’s just a drop in the ocean.”

Read also | Eastern Europe not yet satisfied with Brussels proposal on Ukrainian products

Poland is one of the few European countries to be considered a transit route for Ukrainian grain, due to the Russian blockade of Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea. The Russian invasion of Ukraine created bottlenecks, causing the accumulation of Ukrainian grain in neighboring countries. As a result, local farmers suddenly had to compete with an influx of cheap Ukrainian imports.

100 million euros

The European Commission has therefore proposed a support plan of 100 million euros for European farmers, an amount which is added to the previously promised support of 56 million euros. In addition, the European Commission wants to take “emergency preventive measures” for maize, sunflower seeds and rapeseed, although Central European countries consider this list too short. They also want to see honey and certain types of meat on this list.

Read also | Conflict over Ukrainian cereals: “Brussels is not the bogeyman”

Today, the Polish government has introduced a law that allows farmers to recoup a greater share of excise duty on fuel, but at the same time asks the European Commission for even greater financial leeway. In addition, the Polish government wants to introduce a subsidy for farmers, guaranteeing them 1,400 zlotys per ton of wheat.