KRIR supports farmers’ protests

During the last meeting of the National Council of Agricultural Chambers on On February 22, 2024, KRIR members strongly supported the farmers’ protests in Poland.

KRIR supports farmers

As emphasized in the official position, farmers are protesting throughout the European Union, demanding an immediate solution to the problems that have long exceeded the permissible limit and make work in agriculture impossible due to political and administrative interference. This is clear evidence of the need to redefine the conditions of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy.

The National Council of Agricultural Chambers maintains the position that the basic task of agriculture must continue to be ensuring food security, producing high-quality and safe food, while maintaining the profitability of farms. Therefore, the National Council is against any forced restrictions on the volume of agricultural production resulting from the European Green Deal (eco-schemes, fallowing). Decision-makers in Brussels must remind themselves that maintaining agricultural production is enshrined in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. For this reason, all regulations that in any way discriminate against European farmers in the cultivation of field crops, animal husbandry or limit human activity in the landscape should be abolished – wrote the trade unions.

In the position adopted at the meeting, KRIR pointed out that any disruptions in global agricultural markets are caused by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, therefore sanctions should be introduced on all agri-food products from Russia – jointly and severally in all countries in the world.

We demand the protection of our farmers, the protection of our own food production and the protection of our rural values ​​and traditions. We must prevent the import of goods and food from countries that do not respect these standards, thereby endangering not only European farmers and consumers, but also the global climate. The current duty-free import of Ukrainian goods into its own market, without taking into account the different production conditions in the EU and Ukraine, has led to its collapse, lack of equal operating conditions and leads to unfair competition, they add. – We call on the European Commission to change the current shape of trade cooperation with Ukraine and to prepare proposals for changes with the priority of protecting our own farmers. Customs duties and quotas should be imposed on Ukrainian products with the reference year 2021, and customs revenues should be allocated to aid for Ukraine. When transiting to third countries, an export deposit must be introduced for all agri-food products.

KRIR: we demand border protection

But that’s not the end. The National Council of Agricultural Chambers demands the introduction of procedures that enable effective protection of customs borders and the national budget, which has been requested by the Trade Union – Customs PL for years.

Moreover, we demand the permanent abolition of GAEC 6, 7 and 8. This step will provide farmers with greater flexibility in running their farms, which is particularly important in the difficult economic and geopolitical context of Europe. The strict requirement to limit activities is seen as controversial due to the additional costs of non-productive areas (property tax/rent, maintenance expenses without reimbursement). Removing this standard will lead to greater flexibility in response to economic pressures. Taking into account the current situation, it would be necessary to review the CAP until 2027 and return to the rules for paying direct subsidies from 2014-2021 – they emphasize.

KRIR representatives asked the government for payment by the end of April this year. drought aid, direct payments and the release of aid from the war fund in the form of subsidies for cereals, corn, rapeseed, milk, pigs, slaughter poultry, milk, soft fruit, honey, fertilizers and fuel. At the same time, KRIR requests the launch of purchase from farmers at prices from the Matiff exchange and the transfer of these products as part of a humanitarian campaign. However, grain that does not meet the requirements should be used for non-food purposes.

Before the Meeting, Members of the National Council of Agricultural Chambers, together with farmers from the Slovak Agricultural and Food Chamber, participated in a protest on the Polish-Slovak border. Both the Polish and Slovak sides presented common demands regarding the need to undertake urgent intervention measures in domestic and European agriculture.

Source: KRIR

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