Agriculture minister promises PLN 1 bn to aid farmers

The Head of the Ministry of Agriculture stated he asked EU institutions for financial aid to be given to farmers, who should expect the aid package to be distributed in the coming weeks.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski, announced that support can be provided to farms engaged in animal production and producers of ornamental plants.

As the European Union refused the idea of the support being allocated directly from the EU budget, a new proposal was drafted. Under its conditions, Ardanowski stipulated that part of the funds allocated to Poland under the Rural Development Programme be used to co-finance farms affected by the pandemic.

The Minister added that the Union agreed to the PLN 1 bn (EUR 224 mln) support package after days of drawn out negotiations. As he pointed out, he himself applied for a higher amount – about one billion euro.

Minister Ardanowski emphasised that the support is to be allocated mainly towards export-dependent companies. These include, above all, producers of beef, pork, poultry, mutton, lamb, and dairy products, as well as producers of ornamental plants.

The Minister added that farmers should expect the aid package to be distributed in the coming weeks.

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