- Rozwój Plus presented eight proposals for Polish agriculture.
- The proposals included, among other things, rebuilding the pig population, reforming promotion funds and reducing bureaucracy.
- Farmers participating in the forum drew attention above all to production profitability, financial liquidity and equal conditions for competition.
Eight proposals for Polish agriculture
Rebuilding the pig population, reforming the funds and reducing bureaucracy were proposed by representatives of Rozwój Plus during a farmers’ forum held on Saturday in Kazimierów near Konin (Greater Poland Voivodeship). Farmers are approaching the proposals put forward by Mateusz Morawiecki’s political group with caution.
The Nationwide Farmers’ Forum was organized by Rozwój Plus on Saturday in Kazimierów near Konin. A stage was set up in the barn of a private farm, where representatives of Mateusz Morawiecki’s movement, together with union activists, presented eight proposals for Polish agriculture. These include rebuilding the pig population, reforming promotion funds and reducing bureaucracy.
In his speech, the former prime minister emphasized the role of targeted government interventions in crisis situations, while also noting that the state cannot completely replace market mechanisms. Morawiecki argued that the proposals presented had been developed jointly with agricultural trade unions. “Rozwój Plus will implement these proposals as soon as we are back at the helm of the government,” he declared.
Trade unionists on promotion funds and cooperation with farmers
The forum featured Sławomir Izdebski, chair of OPZZ Rolników i Organizacji Rolniczych, and Tomasz Obszański, chair of NSZZ Rolników Indywidualnych "Solidarność". The trade unionists criticized the current government’s actions and emphasized their successful cooperation with Morawiecki when he was prime minister. Izdebski also announced that the union would submit a bill on reforming and depoliticizing agricultural promotion funds.
Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski emphasized the importance of cooperation with farmers.
There will never be a good strategy, nor its subsequent implementation, if it does not take the views of Polish farmers into account. (…) This must be closely coordinated with farmers and their organizations so that these solutions are widely accepted,” assessed the former agriculture minister in the Morawiecki government.
The forum brought together approximately 150 people. Farmers approached Rozwój Plus’s proposals with reservations.
Everything sounds wonderful, but it still needs to be put into practice. We have lived long enough to know that only one third of the [demands] will be implemented, no more, said Stanisław Kozłowski.
As he stressed, the most important challenges facing Polish agriculture today are restoring farm profitability and financial liquidity. He was critical of the Morawiecki camp’s pledge to work to rebuild the pig market. As he noted, live pigs are currently priced at around 4 PLN net per kilogram. “Those who have left pig farming will not return to it. Let’s not kid ourselves,” Kozłowski said.
Maciej Pluta, a farmer from near Gniezno (Greater Poland Voivodeship), shared a similar view.
I came here out of curiosity. In my opinion, the people who spoke put things very well and very logically. The only thing is to put it into practice. Whether that happens—time will tell, he said.
Farmers want a level playing field
According to Pluta, politicians should ensure that Polish agriculture competes on equal terms with producers from Ukraine and the Mercosur countries.
The Polish farmer is very hardworking, but let us create a level playing field. Then we can compete. If competition is fair, if we receive fair payments for our product, I think things should improve,” he said.
The Rozwój Plus agricultural forum was held in the Konin-Gniezno constituency. Ryszard Bartosik, formerly associated with PiS and now with Rozwój Plus, is an MP from this constituency. The former deputy minister of agriculture argued that Mateusz Morawiecki’s movement could find a place among the rural electorate.
We want to be expansive, we want to act and build our structure, but we also want to reach new people and different communities, including farmers, who are very important to us, he said.Bartosik announced that Rozwój Plus would “make a deep incursion” into the PSL electorate and that it wanted to fight for a double-digit result in the constituency.
