Minister Siekierski states that Ukraine is already a dominant player in the agricultural market, with a farming sector that is more effective and large-scale than Poland’s. Despite destabilization caused by the Russian war, Ukraine remains an important agricultural exporter, especially in grain and meat production. Ukraine possesses vast fertile lands and lower production costs, making it a strong competitor in the European market.
For the Polish agricultural sector, which currently focuses mainly on the production of crops, poultry, and meat, the potential accession could represent a serious threat. While the minister acknowledges the challenges, he also sees opportunities for Poland. He stresses that Polish agriculture must further modernize and focus more on cooperation, for example by promoting agricultural cooperatives.
The minister is currently on a nationwide tour, engaging in discussions with various agricultural organizations and unions to explore how these cooperations can be stimulated.
Additionally, the new centre-right coalition led by former European Commissioner Donald Tusk aims to focus on innovations in technology and sustainable production methods to improve competitiveness. According to Siekierski, modernizing infrastructure and employing new agricultural techniques are crucial to allow Polish agriculture to thrive in an increasingly competitive European market.
The agriculture minister’s remarks have been met with critical responses from various agricultural organizations. Unions and farmers’ groups point out that Polish agriculture has already been under pressure for some time due to rising costs and unfair competition both within and outside the EU. They fear that Ukraine’s accession will further exacerbate the situation.
Polish farmers’ unions, including Solidarność, expect the new centre-right government to do more to protect the position of Polish farmers. They call for increased support measures such as subsidies and fair prices for agricultural products. They also advocate for stricter regulations on imports of agricultural products from third countries in order to protect the Polish market from cheap imports.